Lithuania, the EU politics bill

Lithuania: From the Belarusian grid to the European one, a political change that costs dearly

Lithuania has taken a historic step: in February 2025, together with Latvia and Estonia, it definitively abandoned the BRELL electricity system (which connected it to Russia and Belarus) to synchronize with the continental European grid.
A move celebrated as "energy independence," but which for citizens and businesses translates into higher bills and hidden costs.

Prices on the rise

• Before disconnection, the average wholesale price of electricity in Lithuania hovered around 90–100 €/MWh.

• Immediately after connecting to the European grid, prices jumped to 140–150 €/MWh, with increases of 40–60%.

• Domestic tariffs rose in just a few months from about 0.17–0.19 €/kWh to 0.20–0.23 €/kWh.

In other words, Lithuanians pay more for the same energy, with the paradox that today the price depends on fluctuations in gas, wind, and interconnections, whereas before the Russian-Belarusian supply guaranteed stability.

A political operation paid by citizens

The synchronization project was not a 'technical deal,' but a clear political choice:

• over 1.2 billion euros were allocated, largely funded by the European Union;

• Lithuanian and European taxpayers have therefore borne the cost of this 'geopolitical showdown,' aimed at severing every link with Russia and Belarus.

As already happened with the adoption of the euro, Lithuanians accepted changing systems by trusting Europe. Today, however, they see the price on their bills.

Impact on families and businesses

It's not just about electricity:

• the costs of gasoline and oil are constantly rising,

• energy-intensive Lithuanian companies lose competitiveness,

• several firms have already reduced or halted production, crushed by the combination of more expensive energy and limited domestic markets.

The risk is that Lithuania becomes the first European country to be "left in the dark" during a crisis, precisely because it gave up cheaper and closer energy sources.

Conclusion

The disconnection from BRELL is presented as a political victory, but for citizens it means only higher bills and less energy security.
Once again, the Baltics have chosen to trust Europe, paying out of their own pockets for a geopolitical decision that has little to do with economic common sense.