Last year, the Estonian state, in cooperation with retailers, set up a network of so-called "crisis stores," which, should a major power cut occur for instance, would help ensure residents have access to buy food and other essential goods. The aim is to establish least 110 crisis-proof stores across Estonia by the end of next year, according to Toomas Unt, crisis manager at the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture.

"The Estonian Stockpiling Agency (Eesti Varude Keskuse) is already in the process of transferring generators, procuring additional stores and, in cooperation with Bank of Estonia (Eesti Pank), we are also setting up an internet-free payment facility this year," Unt said.

So far, the Estonian Stockpiling Agency has launched three public tenders for crisis stores, with 69 shops having already been contracted. Rasmus Berens, head of the food supply department at the Estonian Stockpiling Agency said that 19 of these stores are now ready to act as crisis stores with immediate effect.

"These 69 stores are currently waiting to see when we will get these generators delivered. We are procuring them on a continuous basis, and as the stores build up their own electricity grid readiness, we will bring the generators to their yards. We are also in the midst of a fourth tender process in which we are looking for 41 more stores," said Berens.

Veiko Haavapuu, a member of Coop Estonia's Central Co-operative Management Board, said Coop has 34 stores in different regions of the country, which have been contracted during the crisis stores procurement process. However, even if the state does provide retailers with s generator, for example, retailers will still need to adapt their electricity systems to use them. According to Haavapuu, the necessary upgrades to electricity systems are estimated to cost retailers over €100,000.

"If it's an older store, it's unlikely that the type of solutions for connecting generators will have been built. Newer stores are more likely to have this preparedness already built into the electrical system when the store was constructed. But now, of course, it also depends on the specific equipment, whether it is still compatible with the connection standard that has been built out or whether in some cases it has been necessary to make modifications to the power systems," Haavapuu explained.

While, for example, there are still a few crisis stories planned for south-eastern Estonia that have yet to be contracted, there has been much less activity in Lääne County and Rapla County. Berens says it is difficult to say why that is the case.

"This is a big project. For shopkeepers, you will still need to spend in any case. But we're still actively working on it and we're in constant communication, so I'm hoping that with this most recent tender, we'll still get those parts covered," said Berens.

The shortlist of crisis stores will not be posted anywhere publicly for the time being. According to Toomas Unt, the information on their locations is currently only available to rescue workers and local authorities.

"It is up to the local authorities to ensure this information reaches the public. If we see that there is a major crisis threatening us as a country, we will of course make the entire list public," said Unt.

---

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!