Polish electricity system operator PSE send an application to ENTSO-E’s Regional Group Central Europe on Friday for extention of Synchronous Area Continental Europe for the Baltic States transmission systems.

The application of the PSE followed an official letter in which Baltic TSO’s declared their willingness to join the Synchronous Area Continental Europe earlier last week.

The application of Baltic and Polish TSO’s are based on the results of the extended dynamic and frequency stability study which shows the technical and economic feasibility of the synchronisation.

The synchronisation of Baltic States’ transmission systems with Synchronous Area Continental Europe is foreseen to be implemented on interconnection scenario consisting of existing double circuit 400 kV Ełk-Alytus overhead AC line (LitPol Link), complimented with an additional HVDC submarine cable between Poland and Lithuania.

ENTSO-E’s Regional Group Continental Europe is expected to set up a project group tasked with drafting a Connection Agreement, including a detailed catalogue of measures, to be agreed by the participating TSOs by spring 2019.

According to current plan, the European Commission should launch the necessary procedures to start discussions with Russia and Belarus to ensure that the desynchronisation process can be managed without any additional risk to the safe operation of the electricity systems of the affected countries.