Germany, Latvia and Lithuania Advance Baltic-German PowerLink to Connect Offshore Wind and Strengthen Regional Energy Security

The energy ministers Katherina Reiche (Germany), Kaspars Melnis (Lavia) und Žygimantas Vaičiūnas (Lituania) signed a Joint Declaration of Intent fort he Baltic-German PowerLink. 50Hertz CEO Stefan Kapferer and his TSO-colleagues followed the ceremony. Photo: Phototek/Juliane Sonntag

(IN BRIEF) Germany, Latvia and Lithuania have agreed to jointly develop the Baltic-German PowerLink, a hybrid subsea electricity interconnector that will link their grids and connect offshore wind capacity in the Baltic Sea. Transmission operators 50Hertz, AST and Litgrid will deliver a technical and economic concept during the year as the project seeks EU recognition as a Project of Common Interest and inclusion in the Ten-Year Network Development Plan. Envisioned as a roughly 600-kilometre cable supported by an onshore power hub handling up to 2 gigawatts of wind energy, the project aims to strengthen energy security, enable cross-border electricity trade, and integrate growing Baltic renewable generation into the wider European market.

(PRESS RELEASE) BERLIN, 19-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Germany, Latvia and Lithuania are moving forward with plans to develop the Baltic-German PowerLink, a cross-border electricity transmission project in the Baltic Sea designed to link the three countries and integrate offshore wind generation into the European grid.

The hybrid interconnector will serve a dual function, acting both as a power trading link between national electricity markets and as a grid connection for offshore wind farms along the Baltic coast. The project is intended to enhance security of supply, support renewable energy integration, and reinforce European energy sovereignty.

Joint Declaration Signals Political Commitment

Energy ministers from the three countries signed a Joint Declaration of Intent in Paris during a ministerial meeting of the International Energy Agency. The agreement formalizes cooperation on the initiative and highlights the shared view that hybrid interconnections can deliver competitive electricity prices while reducing reliance on fossil fuels through increased use of renewable generation.

Transmission Operators Tasked With Feasibility Work

Transmission system operators 50Hertz, AST and Litgrid have been commissioned to prepare a comprehensive technical and economic implementation concept by autumn. This work will underpin the project’s application for European Union support as a Project of Common Interest, a designation aimed at accelerating infrastructure that strengthens cross-border energy integration.

To further evaluate feasibility, the project has also been submitted for inclusion in the European Ten-Year Network Development Plan, allowing detailed analysis of market impacts, supply security benefits, and funding requirements. A decision on the project’s next phase is expected by the end of 2026.

Subsea Link and Power Hub Planned

Preliminary studies indicate that the Baltic-German PowerLink will involve an დაახლოებით 600-kilometre submarine cable connecting Germany to a landing point in either southwest Latvia or northwest Lithuania. A planned onshore power hub would channel around 2 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity, distributing electricity both to Germany and into the Baltic high-voltage networks operated by AST and Litgrid.

The infrastructure is designed to enable bidirectional power flows, allowing renewable electricity to be traded efficiently across borders while supporting system stability and market integration.

Supporting a Transition to Renewable Energy Exports

Energy planners expect the Baltic region’s growing wind capacity to shift it from an electricity importer to an exporter in the coming years. By creating a high-capacity transmission route across the Baltic Sea, the project aims to connect this expanding renewable generation to wider European markets and bring Baltic electricity systems closer to the highly liquid continental grid.

Beyond facilitating renewable exports, the initiative is seen as a step toward a more resilient and interconnected European power system capable of managing fluctuating renewable supply while maintaining reliability.

About 50Hertz

50Hertz operates the electricity transmission system in the north and east of Germany, which it expands as needed for the energy transition. Our extra high voltage grid has an electrical circuit length of more than 10,000 kilometres, or the distance between Berlin and Rio de Janeiro. The 50Hertz control area covers Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, as well as the city states of Berlin and Hamburg. Within these regions, 50Hertz and its more than 2.500 employees ensure that 18 million people are supplied with electricity around the clock. 50Hertz is a forerunner in the field of secure integration of renewable energy. In our grid area, we want to integrate 100 percent renewable energies securely into the grid and system by 2032 – calculated over the year. In this way, we supply affordable energy for a strong economy. The shareholders of 50Hertz are the Belgian holding Elia Group (80 percent), which is listed on the stock exchange, and the KfW bank group with 20 percent. As a European TSO, 50Hertz is a member of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E).

Press officer | Volker Gustedt | T +49 30 5150 2878 | M +49 151 5537 7634 | volker.gustedt@50hertz.com

SOURCE: 50Hertz