The adoption of a positive decision will open the way for the Baltic and Polish transmission system operators to next week submit an application to the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E) for the extension of the Continental Europe Synchronous Area. Lithuania's Litgrid, Latvia's AST and Estonia's Elering on 11 October will submit an application to the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for €432 million in funding for the project's first stage.

As decided in an agreement signed in June by the Baltic countries, Poland and the European Commission, the deadline for the completion of the synchronisation of the Baltic power grid with the continental European network is 2025, and it will be carried out through a 1,000-megawatt alternating current LitPol Link between Lithuania and Poland and a 700-megawatt direct current submarine cable. In order to ensure energy security, other stabilisation mechanisms, such as synchronisation compensators and electricity system stabilisers, will be established.

The total estimated cost of the project is €1.4 billion, 75% of which will be covered by the EU.

Ministry: Estonia OK with synchronisation with additional DC connection

Based on the results of a study conducted by BEMIP over the summer and introduced in Brussels on Friday, Estonia is okay with the solution involving an additional direct current condition, said Timo Tatar, director of the Energy Department at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.

"The results of the survey carried out over summer were introduced at the BEMIP meeting today," Tatar told BNS on Friday. "It was investigated whether synchronisation with the solution in which an additional submarine cable is established between Lithuania and Poland and additional measures are implemented in the Baltic electricity system is a suitable solution in terms of expenses and security of supply. It appeared from the results of the study that the solution allows for the achievement of security of supply corresponding to Western European standards without significant pressure on network tariffs."

The ministry official recalled that Estonia had originally sought synchronisation via two lines, a high security of supply and low consumer prices after the synchronisation. "All of these aspects will be ensured with this solution," he said.

Based on the results of the study and according to the political roadmap agreed upon by government leaders over the summer, the transmission system operators will now submit a preliminary application for initiating the process of joining the Continental European frequency. The specification of the conditions for joining will follow.