"After the weekend, the energy environment will be significantly more secure for us — everything we are doing is aimed at improving security," Kilk said at a press conference on Wednesday. "The last-minute questions focus on what risks this might bring, but we forget about the risks it eliminates. Ultimately, this is a major event that will make our existence much simpler and easier."

Kilk compared the transition to a courier company upgrading from old Soviet-era cars to modern Western vehicles.

"This weekend, we are switching from a Zhiguli to a Volkswagen – everything is more modern, it accelerates better, fuel consumption is lower, and driver assistance systems are significantly improved. It's exactly the same kind of step forward in our ability to manage the system," he told the media.

Disconnecting from the Russian electricity grid means Estonia is now capable of operating independently. This is the main objective of synchronization, Kilk stressed.

"In the past, we have been highly dependent on the goodwill of others. Synchronization means that after years of building this capability, we now have the ability to manage on our own," he said.

First an island, then connection to mainland Europe

Kilk and Hannes Kont, Elering's synchronization program head, outlined the steps the system will go though this weekend.

On the morning of Saturday, February 8, the disconnection process will begin with the separation of Lithuania's connections to Kaliningrad, followed by the disconnection of Lithuania's links to Belarus. After that, Latvia's connection to Russia will be severed, and then finally, Estonia's connection to Russia will also be cut.

"By around 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. in the morning, we will begin operating in island mode," Kont said.

He also explained why island mode is necessary: "We are joining a specific club — the association of continental European frequency area system operators. And like any club, it has rules. One of these rules is that those joining the frequency area must meet certain standards and be prepared to carry out specific procedures. That is why we are conducting various procedures – disconnecting from the old system and testing how our system operates independently. During this process, we will perform several tests to prove to our new colleagues in Central Europe that we can manage on our own and won't become a burden to them."

On Sunday before noon, the Baltic states will be connected to the mainland European system.

"According to the current plan, we should be synchronized with the new frequency area by around midday, with the critical moment likely occurring around two in the afternoon, assuming everything goes according to plan," Kont said.

Risks have been mitigated

Kilk said, as the project has been ongoing for almost 20 years, all the potential risks have been carefully considered. Preparations have also been made to handle them.

"This means that we know we must have a sufficiently strong infrastructure and adequate resources to keep the system balanced at all times. All of these elements are in place today," he said.

On Tuesday, the first frequency reserve auction took place, and it went as expected, ensuring the reserves necessary for the system's operation, said Elering board member Erkki Sapp.

"The amount of reserves needed to feel secure is completely sufficient, even more than we initially expected. So yes, I slept much more peacefully last night than the night before, and even more peacefully than the night before that. The closer we get to this specific moment, the clearer our understanding of the situation becomes, and the more confident we feel," he said.

Additionally, favorable weather conditions support a smooth transition, Kilk told the media. No prolonged cold spells are expected that could sharply increase electricity consumption or cause system failures.

Despite the discussion about risk mitigation, concrete bollards have been installed outside some of Elering's premises. Newspaper Postimees said they were stationed at Kiisa backup power plant to ensure security.

Synchronization cost €1.6 billion

In his presentation, Kont said the synchronization of the three Baltic states with mainland Europe via Poland has cost €1.6 billion. Of this, 75 percent has been co-financed by the European Union, the rest was covered by congestion revenue funds. Estonia's contributed approximately €350 million.

As part of these investments, 1,400 kilometers of high-voltage lines were built or reconstructed across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Forty new substations were build or upgraded. Six synchronous compensators have already been built across the Baltics and three more under construction.

Kont also highlighted significant upgrades to IT systems. "To control frequency in the new situation we are about to enter, we need highly advanced IT systems — our 'eyes and ears' — to detect and respond to changes in the grid within milliseconds. A major part of the investment has gone into monitoring information systems."

Employee training was a third key area: "We have trained our people, taught them new processes, and established operational agreements on how to manage frequency as a unified Baltic team and operate in reserve markets."

Kont also emphasized the excellent cooperation between the Baltic system operators.

"I have never seen such close daily cooperation in my previous experience. The sense of mission that unites us has been a significant motivator. This collaboration has been productive and full of positive energy. Even now, we have direct daily contact, and the work is truly real-time and continuous," he told the media.

On Saturday, February 8, the system operators of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will disconnect their national electricity systems from the IPS/UPS system shared with Russia and Belarus and will jointly begin an isolated island operation test. The synchronization of the Baltic electricity systems with the mainland European frequency area is scheduled for February 9.

Elering says synchronization improves connectivity between transmission systems and market integration. This will allow Baltic electricity systems to operate under unified and transparent European regulations, benefiting all consumers.

The Baltic countries were connected to the BRELL grid during the Soviet occupation which last almost 50 years and ended in 1991. The desynchronization progress has taken almost two decades to complete.

Other EU countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania synchronized their systems with the Continental European Network (CEN) between 1995 and 2004.

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