Russia 100mw energy storage grid

What if the EU loses access to Russian grid balancing services?

The EU must now also guarantee stable frequency and voltage for the Baltic states once they lose access to Russian grid balancing services. “Grid balancing” means ensuring there is always as much energy as consumers need by balancing electricity supply and demand in real time (and thus preventing power cuts).

Could Moscow make Kaliningrad energy supply problems a pretext for aggression?

However, there remains an outside chance that Moscow could make energy supply problems to Kaliningrad a pretext for some form of aggression in the region. Tackling these challenges as part of synchronisation will help the Baltic states and the EU strengthen energy security in the bloc. They should pursue the following main policies.

How does Russia's war on Ukraine affect energy infrastructure?

Russia’s war on Ukraine has heightened the need to protect energy infrastructure, as seen with the numerous acts of sabotage reported against such infrastructure in the EU. The most recent example is the damage to the Estlink 2 cable in December 2024.

Does Russia have a threat to Kaliningrad?

Russian disinformation has also focused on the supposed threat to the Kaliningrad region of Russia. In fact, Moscow has taken steps to prepare Kaliningrad to operate in an isolated system—it has expanded gas and coal-fired power generation capacity, developed gas storage facilities and installed a floating liquefied natural gas terminal.