Lithuania wants to use Ukrainian experience to protect energy infrastructure

Ukraine's experience in protecting energy infrastructure during Russian attacks can be used to increase the resilience of power grids in Lithuania, Poland, and other European Union countries. In Lithuania, Ukrainian energy workers are considered the most experienced specialists in Europe in responding to emergencies in the energy system.

Lithuanian Minister of Energy Lukas Savickas stated this in an interview with Rzeczpospolita.

According to him, against the background of growing threats to critical infrastructure, the countries of the Baltic region should more actively prepare for scenarios of damage to energy networks and rapid restoration of their operation.

"In the current situation, we would not be able to find more qualified experts than Ukrainian ones", - said Savickas.

He explained that Lithuania has already agreed with Ukraine on the exchange of practical experience. The cooperation should cover specific technical solutions for protecting critical infrastructure, personnel training, education, and exchange of specialists.

A separate direction will be Ukraine's experience in decentralizing the energy system. According to the Lithuanian minister, dispersed electricity generation reduces the consequences of damage to individual large facilities and allows for faster restoration of supply.

Ukraine and Lithuania formalized such cooperation in August by signing a joint declaration in the field of energy. The document provides for the transfer of Ukrainian experience in the physical protection of energy facilities, ensuring uninterrupted operation of networks, and rapid restoration of infrastructure after strikes.

The parties also plan to prepare an action plan for 2026-2028. It should include joint projects on energy infrastructure resilience, decentralized generation and electricity storage, as well as gas supply security.

In parallel, Lithuania is expanding cooperation with Poland on protecting common energy infrastructure. During negotiations between Savickas and Polish Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyka, the parties discussed protection of critical facilities, increasing network resilience, and development of the strategic interconnector Harmony Link.

Lithuania also plans to attract European funding for additional protection of infrastructure related to Harmony Link. The project is scheduled for completion by 2030.

Savickas previously called on other Nordic and Baltic countries to use Ukraine's experience. According to him, the full-scale war has given Ukrainian energy workers practical knowledge on protecting facilities, maintaining system operation during attacks, and restoring power supply to consumers and critical infrastructure as quickly as possible.

Based on materials from: Rzeczpospolita, Ministry of Energy of Lithuania, Ministry of Energy of Lithuania