Lithuania to Build 10 Gas-Backed Power Plants in €880 Million Grid Overhaul as Security Fears Override Climate Goals
VILNIUS — Lithuania announced on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, that it will build 10 new power plants costing about €880 million (around $988 million) and divide its electricity network into seven self-sufficient grid zones, in an overhaul driven by fears of sabotage, cyberattacks and extreme weather. The plants, built by private investors, will most likely run on natural gas, the head of the country's grid operator told Reuters — a choice that sits uneasily alongside Lithuania's goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Litgrid's plan would turn one of Europe's most centralised grids into a patchwork of "energy islands" modelled on Ukraine's wartime electricity system, so unaffected regions could keep the lights on even if power is cut elsewhere. Illustration: A modern gas-fired power plant and transmission lines in Lithuania — the flexible generation Litgrid says the country needs in emergencies. What Happened Litgrid announced the project on Tuesday, p...