On 8 February 2025, something remarkable happened. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania cut their last ties to Russia’s electricity system and fully synchronised with the Continental European grid.
This was not just a technical manoeuvre—it was the culmination of 18 years of planning and €1.6 billion in investment, a milestone for European energy security. Yet, the real test is only beginning. Because the success of this transition will not be measured by voltage stability or market integration alone.
It will be judged on something far less tangible: public trust.
This is exactly what I discussed with Christoph Malzer , Business Development Manager at Navitasoft, in my latest Energ’ Ethic podcast, recorded live at E-world in Essen, Germany. We broke down what this shift really means—not just for the grid, but for the people who depend on it.
Trust Is an Infrastructure We Cannot Ignore
Most major energy transitions are met with public resistance. Yet, the Baltic Synchronisation faced no mass protests, no political deadlock, no major opposition.
Why? Because trust was built before it was needed.
The governments of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania framed this transition not just as an energy project, but as a mission. A mission for sovereignty, security, and resilience. The idea of breaking free from dependency on an unpredictable neighbour had been embedded in national policy for years. People understood the “why” long before they needed to understand the “how.”
This is where so many energy infrastructure projects fail. They assume that technical necessity is enough to win public support. But people rally behind values, not voltage. They will support renewables, transmission lines, or energy market reforms if they connect to their daily lives and aspirations.
In the podcast, we discussed how missing this human element can be costly. I was the only policy expert in a panel discussion filled with engineers and market specialists. While they focused on grid mechanics, I asked the bigger question:
❝ How do we ensure people feel this transition works for them? ❞
Because without trust, even the best-designed projects can face resistance.
Cracking the Energy Trilemma: Security, Sustainability, and Affordability
The Baltic Synchronisation is an example of how to balance the Energy Trilemma—the challenge of ensuring security, advancing sustainability, and keeping energy affordable.
Energy Security: A Story That Resonates
Security is a powerful narrative. It has long been the anchor of the Baltic states’ energy transition, and it is why this project was widely accepted.
💬 Christoph noted how the Baltic states knew that keeping a Russian-controlled system meant vulnerability to geopolitical blackmail.
Lesson: When energy transitions align with national security concerns, they gain momentum. But once the urgency fades, public support can wane—so the challenge now is maintaining engagement over the long term.
2. Sustainability: A Promising but Incomplete Narrative
Synchronisation with the European grid means more renewable integration. It is a step toward a cleaner, greener energy system, making investments in wind, solar, and electric vehicles more viable.
However, sustainability was not the leading story here. Security trumped climate concerns.
In the podcast, we talked about how energy transitions need more than an environmental argument. Christoph, who has worked across markets from Austria to the UK’s battery sector, emphasised how renewables must come with strong flexibility tools—otherwise, integration remains theoretical.
Lesson: The climate argument alone is not enough. To gain traction, sustainability must be linked to economic benefits, job creation, and stability.
3. Affordability: The Weakest Link in the Narrative
Consumers do not experience energy transitions through policy briefings or grid maps—they experience them through their monthly bills.
And this is where the Baltic Synchronisation faces its biggest challenge.
- Cost shifts—Baltic countries must now pay for their own balancing services, leading to small bill increases (~€0.50-€1 per household per month).
- Disinformation attacks—Russia has already framed the transition as an affordability disaster, blaming the 2021 energy crisis on EU strategy rather than its own weaponisation of gas.
- Managing expectations—As I said in the episode, people will judge this transition not on geopolitics or technical success, but on how it impacts their daily lives.
- Lesson: If people feel they are simply paying more for energy independence, trust will erode.
Christoph and I debated this question: ❝ What’s the best way to keep public support when affordability is uncertain? ❞
We need: Transparency. Consistent communication. Clear, consumer-first narratives.
The Next Challenge: Keeping the Public On Board
The Baltic Synchronisation was a success—but will it remain one?
🎧 In the episode, Christoph explained how digitalisation and AI will play a crucial role in keeping this new system stable and efficient. But technology alone won’t maintain public confidence.
So what should happen next?
- Keep the benefits visible – People need to see how this transition improves their daily energy security, reduces volatility, and supports renewables.
- Manage expectations before problems arise – Instead of waiting for complaints about price fluctuations, policymakers must communicate why costs have shifted and how they are being managed.
- Be accountable – If price fluctuations or supply concerns emerge, they must be addressed publicly and transparently.
- Frame energy transitions in human terms – People don’t care about interconnection codes or grid balancing markets. They care about stable prices, warm homes, and reliable service.
Trust Is the Infrastructure We Cannot Ignore
We often talk about infrastructure as roads, grids, and power plants. But there is one infrastructure more fundamental than any of these: trust.
The Baltic Synchronisation succeeded because trust was built into its foundation. But trust is not a one-time achievement. It must be maintained. Because without it, even the best-designed projects can fail.
📣 In the podcast, we wrapped up with this reflection:
❝ The energy transition isn’t just about technology—it’s about whether people trust it to be fair, beneficial, and inclusive. ❞
- If we want public acceptance, we must make people feel that they are part of the transition—not just paying for it.
- If we want resilient systems, we must ensure they benefit not just markets, but households.
- If we want speed, we must communicate clearly and proactively—before fear and misinformation take hold.
🎧 Listen now! → https://podcast.ausha.co/energ-ethic-climate-justice-and-energy-transition/65-christoph-malzer
