Lithuanian Energy Operator CEO: Storm Exceeded Forecasts, All National Energy Workers Mobilized

Renaldas Radvila, CEO of Lithuania's energy distribution operator (ESO), stated that a recent storm significantly exceeded initial forecasts, causing widespread damage and impacting electricity supply to more than 268,000 customers. Radvila described the storm's impact as "tragic" in some regions due to fallen trees, noting that the number of disconnections was nearly five times higher than anticipated.

"Our tools indicated a storm, and the numbers suggested 50-60,000 customer disconnections. We ended up with 268,000 by the end of the day," Radvila explained during a parliamentary session. He mentioned that other regional operators, including those in Poland and Latvia, experienced similar unexpected severity.

In response to the crisis, ESO has mobilized all available national energy contractors. To bolster restoration efforts, a contract has been signed with Polish contractors, with a ten-person team arriving on Thursday to assist. These international workers will bring their own equipment, including a specialized lift, and will focus on the southern part of Lithuania.

Radvila expressed confidence that power would be largely restored by Saturday. "The commitment is there, the plan is for Saturday, we will see how it goes, but I believe we will have a percentage close to one hundred," he stated. He also acknowledged that the restoration work has not been without incident, reporting two minor accidents among the workers, emphasizing the importance of safety during these challenging operations.