Lithuania starts protecting Alytus substation

Lithuania’s Public Security Service (VST) has started protecting the Alytus switchyard and transformer substation of the LitPol Link interconnector with Poland.

 


Lithuania starts protecting Alytus substation

Image for illustration purposes.

Lithuania, Vilnius: Lithuania’s Public Security Service (VST) on Wednesday started protecting the Alytus switchyard and transformer substation of the LitPol Link interconnector with Poland. The Baltic power grids are set to synchronise with the Continental European network in February through the link.

The VST was originally scheduled to take over the protection of these facilities from a private security company in April, but in early January, the government approved the Interior Ministry’s proposal to expedite this transition. The move came before the Baltic grids’ planned disconnection from the Russia-controlled IPS/UPS system and synchronisation with the Continental European network on February 8. It reflects heightened security concerns in the Baltic Sea region following incidents where electricity and communications cables were damaged.

Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said that synchronisation with the European system is vital not only for the energy sector but also for national security and stressed the importance of protecting the infrastructure. In January, the VST started protecting Litgrid’s Lithuanian Power System Control and Data Centre, and the Lithuanian Power Plant in Elektrėnai. It will also take over the security of the NordBalt interconnection infrastructure in Klaipėda in April.

Source: LRT