Power System of the Kaliningrad Region: Transition to Isolated Operation and Assessment of Development Prospects

In February 2025, the Baltic States disconnected from the IPS/UPS power pools and synchronized with the Continental Europe power pool. As a result, the power grid of the Kaliningrad region switched to the isolated mode of operation. The thermal power plants of the Kaliningrad region operate on gas and coal, which are supplied to the region by sea or through the territory of Lithuania. In view of these circumstances, the problem of ensuring the Kaliningrad region’s energy security has become more important than ever. An overview of the European power pools, power grids of the Baltic States, and the Kaliningrad region power grid is given. The features pertinent to the Baltic States’ leaving the IPS/UPS power pools and the Kaliningrad region power grid becoming isolated from them are considered. The aim of the study is to assess the prospects for development of the Kaliningrad region’s isolated power grid with consideration of the global power industry trends, including the use of local and renewable energy sources and energy storage devices. The article analyzes the possibilities of using wind and solar energy, solid municipal waste, peat and other energy sources to reduce the dependence of the Kaliningrad region on gas and coal supplies, and to enhance the energy security of the region. Promising technologies in the field of energy storage are considered, such as the use of sodium-ion storage batteries, hybrid wind and hydroelectric pumped storage plants, and gravity energy storage systems.