From BRELL to Continental Europe: The Transformation of the Baltic Power System

In February 2025, the Baltic states disconnected from the Russian-controlled BRELL ring and joined the Continental European Synchronous Area, ending decades of dependence on a grid they did not control. Drawing on Latvia’s experience, Gatis Junghans of AST explains what it took to make the switch: the grid reinforcements and new interconnections, the technical measures needed to maintain frequency stability without Russian system support, and the lessons for operators managing large-scale grid transitions. What worked, what proved harder than expected, and what comes next for the Baltic power system.