Baltic States to Sign Declaration on Sharing Emergency Reserve Equipment for Electricity Infrastructure

At today's meeting of the European Union's Transport, Telecommunications and Energy (TTE) Council, the Baltic states are expected to sign a joint declaration on cooperation in sharing emergency reserve equipment. This step signals political support for closer collaboration among electricity transmission system operators to develop a common mechanism for using reserves in crisis situations.

The declaration outlines a two-phase implementation. In the first phase, existing reserves will be shared among the Baltic states, while the second phase will evaluate the possibility of creating a joint Baltic reserve fund, formalized through cooperation agreements between transmission system operators. The goal is to strengthen and accelerate the restoration of critical electricity infrastructure in emergencies, thereby enhancing regional electricity supply security.

The TTE Council will also address other issues, including post-2030 decarbonization efforts and the crisis in the Middle East. Latvia has expressed its view that future energy policy should prioritize EU energy independence, security, and supply resilience. New targets should be assessed considering their impact on reducing dependence on imports from third countries, as well as on energy prices and consumers.

Regarding the Hormuz Strait crisis, Latvia emphasizes that isolated national solutions are ineffective and that broader geographical diversification of supplies and a faster transition to local renewable energy sources are needed. It also stresses the need to strengthen military and hybrid protection for critical infrastructure such as the Klaipėda LNG terminal and Balticconnector, given recent incidents in the Baltic Sea.

Latvia also supports the revision of the EU's energy supply security framework and highlights the importance of cross-border interconnections, which allow surplus energy to be quickly directed where needed. It notes that the Baltic states already benefit from connections with Scandinavia and Finland, receiving cheaper electricity when local generation relies on more expensive resources.