The electricity transmission system operators of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have asked the European Commission to support efforts to protect critical energy infrastructure in the Baltic States.

The companies have submitted an application for European Union funding, Lithuania’s Litgrid said on Tuesday.

“The security situation in the Baltic Sea region remains tense, which is why we need measures to protect critical energy infrastructure against potential cyber and physical attacks,” acting Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas was quoted as saying in a press release.

Vaičiūnas earlier said the EU is expected to cover 50 percent of the project’s total cost, or €191 million. In Lithuania, the project is estimated at €81.7 million, with EU support amounting to €40.85 million.

Litgrid CEO Rokas Masiulis said the planned measures include protective barriers, drone-neutralization systems, and tools to quickly restore the operation of damaged infrastructure.

In February, the Baltic States disconnected their grids from the Russian-controlled BRELL system and synchronized with the Continental Europe Synchronous Area (CESA), which supplies electricity to more than 400 million consumers.

Source: BNS

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