Baltic States and Poland to spend €600 mln to protect power grids from Moscow's sabotage
Photo: Baltic states to protect networks from Moscow's sabotage (Getty Images)
The operators of the main transmission networks in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have compiled a list of various projects worth about EUR 600 million. They are aimed at improving the security of critical energy infrastructure, according to ERR.
These projects are expected to be supported by the Cohesion Fund for Europe, said Kalle Kilk, chairman of the board of the Estonian energy company Elering.
“This subsidy focuses on measures to prevent all types of attacks. In particular, this concerns the creation of additional security tools for new property acquired in synchronization, such as lines and synchronous compensators,” said Kilk.
According to him, tools will be created to help control the system, understand whether there are any emergencies, and physically prevent any violations in the network.”
He did not explain what exactly would be purchased and developed, saying only that, for example, more reliable protection against drones would be needed. Elering wants to create the capacity to detect and defeat drones.
The final application for the Cohesion Fund program is in the process of being prepared, so Kilc noted that the total cost of the projects - 600 million euros - is still preliminary. He confirmed that about a third of the funds will be allocated to Estonia. Most of the remaining funds will be distributed between Latvia and Lithuania, and some investments will be directed to Poland.
In December, submarine cables between Finland and Estonia were damaged in the Baltic Sea. After that, Finland detained the Eagle S. This is a tanker of Russia's shadow fleet sailing in the area where the cables were broken.
