The Baltic States will establish joint reserves of energy equipment in case of an emergency
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have agreed to jointly build up reserves of equipment for their power systems and to coordinate their actions during accidents and other emergencies. A declaration to this effect was signed in Riga by Lithuanian Energy Minister Lukas Savickas and his counterparts from Latvia and Estonia, according to Ukrainska Pravda, citing European Pravda and LRT.
According to the declaration, the three countries will jointly assess their needs for transformers, power line towers, generators, and other emergency equipment. This equipment may be needed in the event of threats, accidents, or disruptions to power systems.
“Joint reserves and an agreement on coordinating actions in emergencies will help ensure a more reliable energy supply for the population, and joint decisions will allow us to strengthen the security of energy infrastructure more effectively and economically,” Savickas said.
Power transmission operators in the Baltic states are to assess the necessary reserves, after which they will prepare a joint application for European Union funding to purchase and maintain the equipment. The ministers also discussed the protection of strategic energy facilities. According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Energy, they agreed that drones have become a new reality in the field of security, and protection against them is an integral part of safeguarding critical infrastructure at the regional level.
The agreement was signed amid concerns about potential threats to critical infrastructure in the Baltic region. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda cited intelligence reports indicating that the Russian Federation—an aggressor state—may be preparing provocations in Poland or the Baltic states, including attacks on critical infrastructure.
