According to a report by Reuters on September 22, Lithuania is planning to deploy defense measures against military drones around a key power substation that will connect the Baltic states with Western Europe. Sources indicate that “Russia may launch a false flag attack” in this area.
Lithuania's power grid operator Litgrid CEO Andrius Semeškvičius told Reuters that the construction plans include fences that can withstand attacks from trucks carrying explosives at full capacity, sensors to detect tunnels that enemy personnel might dig, and concrete 'coffins' to protect transformers and enable them to withstand any drone attacks.
He stated in an interview: “In the past, when designing power grids, we considered natural disasters. Now, we will consider all possible threats.”
Gizai Substation will be built about 30 kilometers west of Saint Petersburg. It will be the first new substation facility in the region since the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian War. It will be part of a critical power grid that is currently under construction, to ensure that the Baltic countries can have a stable supply of electricity during conflicts.
This month, Lithuania's concerns were further exacerbated after Germany accused Russia of "carrying out destructive attacks" on its power grid. Russia denied any involvement.
The Jizai substation will be a key node in the "Harmony Link" interconnection project with Poland. After the Baltic Network separated from the Russian power grid last year, this project will connect the Baltic network with other regions of the European Union. An official from a power grid company in the region told Reuters anonymously: "For Lithuania, this line is absolutely crucial; if the system fails, it is Lithuania’s lifeline. The timing of this decision is related to the escalating regional tensions and the threat of destruction."
Semeneshk Vichu said that the distance between buildings and fences means that protection is also available even when someone throws burning bottles inside. He hinted, “We are working on completely new designs... We are protecting ourselves from attacks by multiple ‘Shahd’ drones; these drones could carry 100 kilograms of explosives and crash down.”
Semešek Vichous added, “We cannot use ordinary concrete; it needs to be custom-made to have greater resistance.” He stated that the suitable concrete should contain plastic fibers, which would help reinforce it and prevent it from cracking.
This substation will also be equipped with backup units for several critical devices, so that even if one of them is damaged or destroyed, the substation can still operate. Replacing the customized equipment may take several years.
Lithuania's Energy Minister Lukas Savickas told Reuters that later this month, Lithuania will ask the European Union to bear at least half of the costs associated with the construction of the Gizai power station.
Lithuania’s power grid operator Litgrid said that the reinforced substations will cost at least 48 million euros more than originally planned. If the “geopolitical environment” deteriorates, prices could rise further. Savicas said, “Our consistent position is that these costs should not be borne solely by us.”
Last year, Baltic countries and Poland requested the EU to provide 382 million euros for “protecting key parts of the existing power grid”. However, they only received 112 million euros.
