Baltic nations switch from Russian power grid to EU network

FRANCE 24 English

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00:00This was the moment the Baltic state of Latvia began its historic switch away from Moscow.

00:07The power grid was its last remaining link to Russia, but on Saturday morning, Latvia,

00:12along with Lithuania and Estonia, disconnected itself ahead of plans to link up to the European

00:18grid on Sunday.

00:20Although the switch has been planned for decades, the plan gained momentum following Russia's

00:24annexation of Crimea in 2014.

00:28It's energy security and stability.

00:31No one can forcibly cut us off.

00:33We saw the situation in Ukraine, where Ukraine was simply cut off, or rather, plugged back

00:37in and nobody asked them.

00:39We don't want that.

00:40Now we are in control, no one can disconnect us, no one can do any damage to the system.

00:47The three countries will use their own reserves of power until Sunday, when they'll be plugged

00:51into the EU's energy grid.

00:55Energy-saving measures have been put in place, with some traffic lights turned off and residents

00:59told to avoid using lifts.

01:02Although all three countries stopped purchasing energy from Russia after its full-scale invasion

01:06of Ukraine, they relied on the Russian grid to stabilise the network.

01:12We no longer have any links or connections to Russia, Belarus and Kaliningrad.

01:18It essentially means that the energy system is fully in our hands.

01:23Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia say the move means Russia will no longer be able to use

01:28the electricity system as a tool of geopolitical blackmail.

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