Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania have launched a joint cross-border electricity project in the Baltic Sea designed to link offshore wind farms and integrate European energy markets.
The Baltic-German PowerLink was formalised through a Joint Declaration of Intent signed in Paris on 18 February. The transmission system operators 50Hertz (Germany), AST (Latvia), and Litgrid (Lithuania) have been commissioned to develop a technical and economic implementation concept by autumn.
The proposed infrastructure will feature an approximately 600-kilometre submarine cable connecting Germany to a landfall point in either Latvia or Lithuania. According to preliminary plans by grid operators, a power hub is set to be built onshore, through which around 2 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity can be fed both towards Germany via the Baltic-German PowerLink and into the high‑voltage grids on land operated by AST and Litgrid. A final decision on the project’s next steps is expected at the end of 2026, following its inclusion in the European Ten-Year Network Development Plan for potential EU funding.
“The share of renewable resources in the overall energy balance is increasing year by year, and our forecasts indicate that within just a few years the Baltic region will shift from being an importer of electricity to becoming an exporter,” said Arnis Daugulis, Member of the Management Board of Latvia’s transmission system operator, AST. “Therefore, it is important to plan the export routes for this energy in a timely manner, also considering the potential of offshore wind farms. The strategic objective is that the hybrid interconnection will enable electricity flows in both directions, benefiting both producers and consumers in Latvia and the Baltics, and strengthening energy supply security.”