"This happened just a few moments ago — at 9:09 a.m., to be precise," Elering spokesperson Ain Köster told ERR. "Both Estonia and the other Baltic countries have left Russia's frequency area."

All three countries have successfully disconnected from the Russian-controlled and BRELL agreement-managed IPS/UPS system, and Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian transmission system operators (TSOs) Elering, Augstsprieguma tīkls (AST) and Litgrid are currently operating independently in island mode, Elering said in a press release Saturday morning.

The Baltic TSOs will conduct isolated operation testing before synchronizing with the Continental European Synchronous Area (CESA) on Sunday, Elering said in a press release on Saturday.

"We managed just fine," Köster confirmed.

"The whole process lasted nearly three hours," he explained. "Our southern neighbors began operations at 6 a.m. The lines between Lithuania and the Königsberg [Kaliningrad] area went offline at around 6:40,the Lithuania-Belarus lines at 7:30. The Latvia-Russia connection at 8, and now ours around 9 a.m."

Asked why the disconnection in Estonia occurred at 9:09 a.m., not precisely at 9 o'clock, Köster explained that such switchovers never happen at a precise minute.

The disconnection had no impact on consumers, and all systems are stable and secure, Elering said.

"Right now, everything seems to be in tip-top shape," the spokesperson said, adding that there is no need to worry.

Elering also confirmed that the Baltic states have the necessary frequency reserves for Saturday, and that the system's frequency is being managed in coordination between the three TSOs at their respective control centers.

The BRELL agreement formally expired at 11:59 p.m. on Friday.

Island mode operation testing to begin

The synchronization of the Baltic states with CESA is slated to take place on Sunday afternoon, before which the three TSOs will conduct island or isolated operation testing.

At this time, the Baltic power grid will function independently, without being part of any other frequency area. Electricity demand during this period will be met via local power plants and direct current Estonian-Finnish and Lithuanian-Swedish connections.

During the island operation test, the three Baltic TSOs will independently monitor the system's frequency, testing its resilience to various disturbances and readiness for isolated operation as well as performing frequency and voltage stability tests. This testing is expected to continue through Sunday afternoon.

"For a few hours, we'll simply be in this island state — the Baltic countries will be completely separate, and we'll be managing our system ourselves," Köster explained.

The electricity systems of the Baltic states have been successfully disconnected from the Russia-controlled IPS/UPS system and are now operating independently in island mode https://t.co/oQOJpO10Gc@cinea_eu @ENTSO_E #synchronisation pic.twitter.com/mJySb6hjQH

— Elering (@EleringAS) February 8, 2025

"We will start testing around midday," he continued. "We'll test how the system responds if the frequency is adjusted slightly, and whether it can properly restore the [right] frequency. But this is a miniscule fluctuation that certainly won't reach consumers; we're simply testing our systems."

Everything is calm and everything is fine at the moment, the spokesperson added.

Baltics to connect to Europe on Sunday

The connection of the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian power grids to Continental Europe via Poland is scheduled to begin around 2 p.m. on Sunday, Köster noted.

"These switchovers can't be planned ahead down to the exact minute," he said. "Nothing has changed. Tomorrow morning we'll be testing voltage fluctuations, and then, starting around midday, we'll start activities for connecting to Continental Europe. And these should be finished by around 2 p.m."

The synchronization process with Continental Europe is scheduled to be completed on Sunday, February 9.

Once synchronized, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will join the world's largest synchronous grid, serving more than 400 million consumers across 26 countries.

Synchronization with CESA will allow for the independent, stable and reliable frequency control of the Baltics' energy grids, and will boost energy security in the region.

The Baltic TSOs have been preparing for this transition by investing in the development of transmission infrastructure and equipment necessary for the safe operation of their electricity systems, Elering said.

Elering CEO Kalle Kilk has also previously emphasized that synchronization with the European grid is a security matter as well.

The Baltic power grids' synchronization process has been supported by the EU and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), including via co-funding for infrastructure investments as well as technical and operational support, which facilitated the process.

The synchronization of the three Baltic countries with CESA via Poland has cost €1.6 billion to date, 75 percent of which has been co-financed by the European Union and the rest of which has been covered by congestion revenue funds.

Approximately €350 million in investments have been made in Estonia alone.

Investments have included the construction or reconstruction of 1,400 kilometers of high-voltage power lines across the Baltics, construction of new substations as well as upgrades of nearly 40 existing substations.

Six synchronous condensers have also already been built across the three countries, with three more still under construction.

Final ties severed

While Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania hadn't purchased electricity from Russia or Belarus for several years, until Saturday morning they had remained operating within the Russian IPS/UPS system, whose frequency is centrally regulated in Moscow.

Baltic TSOs Elering, AST and Litgrid first submitted their application to join the Continental European grid to the then-existing Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) in 2007.

Plans to disconnect the Baltics from the electricity system that tied them to the former Soviet Union had been discussed for decades, but gained momentum after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, strong supporters of Kyiv, stopped purchasing electricity from Russia.

The BRELL agreement-managed electricity grid was the last remaining link between the three countries and Russia, after they regained independence in the collapse of the Soviet Union and joined the EU and NATO in 2004, Reuters noted.

The energy systems of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been desynchronised from the Russian-controlled IPS/UPS system at 09:09 and are now operating independently in island mode. pic.twitter.com/Reb5uS8qCb

— Litgrid (@Litgrid) February 8, 2025

Baltic island mode 'proceeding as planned'

Elering reported on Saturday evening that the Baltics' island mode is proceeding as planned, and that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania's power grids are continuing to operate independently.

Frequency management tests, carried out to assess the TSOs' ability to ensure grid stability, were concluded by 5 p.m. During these tests, electricity generators were switched on and off as the impact of these actions on system frequency was monitored.

During testing, the combined cycle unit of Lithuania's Elektrenai complex likewise temporarily disconnected and was later reconnected to the grid. The system responded to the unplanned disconnection as successfully as in other tests, while electricity supply remained stable.

This could be considered the first successful test demonstrating the readiness of the Baltic TSOs to manage the system, Elering added.

According to the Estonian TSO, voltage deviation tests will be conducted Sunday morning.

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