Storm exposes Latvia's lack of rules for communications, fuel supply during power cuts

A recent storm in Latvia has highlighted a significant vulnerability: a disruption in the electricity supply can quickly affect several essential services at once. According to an investigation by Latvian Television's programme "de facto", the power outage disrupted mobile communications, fuel availability, and water supply simultaneously.

Gaps in the system

The programme's findings show that the state has not yet established unified minimum requirements determining how long mobile network operators and fuel stations must be able to continue operating in the event of a centralized power supply interruption. This means that the level of preparedness among different service providers for such situations can vary considerably.

Why it matters

Situations where communications, fuel access, and water supply are all lost at the same time pose an increased risk to residents, particularly during prolonged or widespread power outages. Such disruptions make it harder for people to contact relatives or emergency services, and can also hinder mobility if vehicles cannot be refuelled.

The consequences of the storm serve as a reminder of the need to review the resilience of critical infrastructure against power supply disruptions. Whether and when unified requirements will be developed remains an open question.