At least one suspicious incident happened before the h-moment, when an electric pillar was lit on the west coast of Estonia. The Rescue Agency urges you to prepare for power outages.
Tallinn/Saue Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania last energy connection to Russia ends on Saturday.
The countries have not purchased electricity from Russia for years, but the remaining connection to the Russian transmission grid has been necessary to maintain the 50 Hertz frequency of the electricity network.
Now the connection to the nets of Russia and Belarus is cut off. For 24 hours, the Baltic region with its electricity networks is like an island. The countries will connect to the mainland of the continental Europe on Sunday via Poland.
The consumer will not notice anything, assures the CEO of the Estonian transmission system company Elering Kalle Kilk To the general.
“The mains voltage stays the same and the lamp is just as bright,” says Kilk.
Estlink cable situation does not affect
Exit has been modeled for years, and according to Elering, all possible situations have been prepared.
Breaking the Estlink 2 electric cable between Finland and Estonia on Christmas Day does not hurt the process, says Kalle Kilk.
It wouldn’t even hurt if another cable between Finland and Estonia was out of the game.
– The electrical system is designed to withstand at least two large damage. It doesn’t matter if the damage is man -made or technical, says Kilk.
The weather is on the historical detachment operation. Heavy frost would increase electricity consumption and the storm would cut the lines. However, the weekend is at most a little frost And moderate wind.
An electric pole attempted to burn
Police and the National Guard have taken over numerous substations around Estonia. According to Kalle Kilk, it is a precaution that prevents the possibility of, for example, sabotage attacks on the Estonian grid.
At least one suspicious case is already known, the head of the Northern Police District in Estonia Ats kübareppepp told on Thursday.
– The electric pole has been damaged in the Haapsalu region. We collect evidence and find out, but we start to light up it, says Kübarepp.
Patron Jussi Taar The group protects the substation near Tallinn in the municipality of Sau. Protecting objects is a familiar work.
– We have practiced different scenarios and ready for all kinds of events. You never know when a little thing will escalate to be big, Taar says.
Contradictory messages
Although Eloring asserts everything smooth without friction, the Estonian Rescue Agency and the municipalities have urged Estonians to prepare for power outages. Information attacks are reminded inter alia home clearance importance.
The Finnish authorities are advised to obtain supplies for three days. In Estonia, time is a longer, whole week.
The message of the Rescue Agency seems to be in conflict with Eleering’s insurance that everything goes smoothly.
Is not, says the leader of the Eleering Disconnecting Program Hannes Kont. For him, the warning of the rescue service is a reminder of wider readiness.
– In the current security policy environment, there is room for improvement in how companies and municipalities can cope with situations where vital service such as electricity or communication is missing.
– It is always worth listening to expert authorities, Kont says.
The connection between the Estonian transmission network to the Russian network dates back to the Soviet Union. The electricity transmission grid was built after World War II, when Estonia was occupied and forced into the Soviet Union.
The leaders of the Baltic countries made the decision to move into the mainland European transmission network in 2018.
Baltic operators in the Baltic countries have invested a total of EUR 1.6 billion in the exit from the Russian network. Estonia accounts for EUR 350 million. The EU has financed 75 % of the investment.