Kaliningrad successfully tests independent local electricity grid

The Russian enclave of Kaliningrad between Lithuania and Poland has successfully tested full electricity independence, ERR's Estonian-language news reported on Saturday. That the enclave can manage on its own is a condition of desynchronizing the Baltic national grids from the BRELL grid dating back to Soviet times.
The test ran for four days, during which the Russian oblast of Kaliningrad was supplied exclusively by its recently built gas fired power stations. According to Estonian grid operator Elering, there were no problems regulating the frequency of Kaliningrad's local network.
Kaliningrad's capacity to function independently is one of the conditions on the way to synchronizing the Baltic states' grids with the Continental European grid, and leaving the today mainly Russian BRELL network dating back to Soviet times.
The test shows that Russia is expecting the Baltic states to leave the BRELL grid (Belarus, Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) soon. Once they are out, there will be no connection between Kaliningrad and Russia. According to TalTech's Karl Kull, the planned Baltic desynchronization represents the biggest change in the local electricity system in 60 years.
In many ways, Russia has been quicker to adapt to the new situation than the other countries involved in the change, recently completing three new gas fired power stations in the oblast, the supply stability of which has now been tested.
Planned tests in Russia's grid recently forced the other Baltic operators to postpone similar tests of their own.
Elering recently signed an agreement to join the Continental European grid, which means that the planned synchronization with mainland Europe in 2025 is basically a done deal.
According to the operator, this is an important step, as it means that desynchronization from BRELL is no longer just a political matter, but that there is now a technical agreement as well.
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Editor: Dario Cavegn