Riga, Jan 28 (LETA) - The Baltic states and Poland will receive EUR 112.583 million in European funding for the safety and security of electricity infrastructure, representatives of the Climate and Energy Ministry told LETA.

In preparation for the synchronization of the Baltic states' electricity systems and to strengthen the security of existing infrastructure, Latvia, together with Lithuania, Estonia and Poland, applied to the European Commission (EC) for co-financing to strengthen the protection of critical synchronization infrastructure. The difficult geopolitical situation and the damage to energy infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, including breaks in offshore cables and pipelines, reinforced the Baltic states' determination to continue working on the protection of energy infrastructure.

On January 15, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Commission met in Brussels to present a draft EC decision on funding for infrastructure security in the Baltic states and Poland, including Latvia. The EC recognized the project application as eligible for CEF co-financing, with the final vote of the member states as well as the decision being taken on January 27.

Climate and Energy Minister Kaspars Melnis (Greens/Farmers) pointed out that the Baltic synchronization project was developed in a different geopolitical context and that infrastructure security and protection from physical or cyber risks were not issues then. With the completion of the Baltic synchronization project in Latvia, together with the system operators of Lithuania, Estonia and Poland, work was started on preparing an application to strengthen critical infrastructure protection in the Baltic states.

The Baltic states and Poland will receive EUR 112,582,500 in European funding for the project, the third largest co-financing of all CEF projects supported in this step. This funding means more reliable energy infrastructure as well as cost savings on electricity transmission tariffs.

As part of the CEF co-funded project, Baltic and Polish transmission system operators will implement measures such as perimeter and missile defense systems, warning systems and other solutions for the physical protection of energy infrastructure.

So far, the Baltic synchronization project in Latvia has implemented projects worth almost EUR 500 million, 85 percent of which has been covered by European Union (EU) support. More than 500 kilometers of 330 kilovolt (kV) lines have been upgraded and renewed, three synchronous compensators have been installed in Grobina, Ventspils and Liksna, high-capacity energy storage batteries have been installed in Tume and Rezekne, and complex and large-scale information technology (IT) infrastructure projects have been implemented.

The ministry explained that cooperation is essential to strengthen infrastructure, which is why the Baltic states agreed in late 2025 to set up a working group to strengthen both the security of interconnections and, in particular, the security of offshore cables. Equally important is the ability to repair unplanned cable breaks as quickly as possible, reducing inconvenience for citizens and businesses temporarily unable to get cheaper energy from the Scandinavian countries.

Cooperation between neighboring countries in dealing with storm damage is just as important as emergency response. Baltic operators have signed a joint Memorandum of Cooperation for technical assistance in storm situations. The memorandum is already in practice and serves as a basis for distribution and transmission system operators to provide each other with operational assistance and technical support to repair damage to power lines in storm-affected regions. This allows a rapid response without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.

The storm that caused significant damage in Zemgale, parts of Kurzeme and Lithuania a year and a half ago caused more severe damage to Lithuanian households. The Latvian electricity distribution operator, Sadales Tikls, promptly dispatched its crews to Lithuania to restore the electricity supply, putting into practice the agreement reached in the inter-operator memorandum.