Elering will improve the operational continuity of the energy infrastructure in cooperation with the Estonian Defence League

Elering and the Defence League entered into a cooperation agreement on Thursday, 24 October, for increasing the defence and resilience capabilities of the sites and objects of the Estonian electricity transmission network.

Under the agreement, the Defence League and Elering will conduct infrastructure defence exercises in order to practice cooperation in various security-related situations. The parties to the agreement will also develop infrastructure defence measures together and establish the prerequisites for prompt crisis resolution. The exercises will be based on risk analyses and potential threat scenarios and will often be conducted in danger areas (e.g. in the cable protection zone) or in their immediate vicinity.

Karl Kristian Kits, Head of Infrastructure Security of Elering, noted that the purpose of the cooperation is to meet the expectations of the line of action of the continuity of state and society with respect to the action plan for comprehensive national defence, with the aim of ensuring the operational continuity of vital services in any circumstances. “As a result of the joint planning, exercise and implementation of the activities, we will be better prepared for unexpected situations and ready to resolve them immediately,” added Kits.

According to Major General Ilmar Tamm, Commander of the Estonian Defence League, Elering is one of the organisations that has studied the situation in Ukraine, learned its lessons from there, and is taking practical measures as a provider of vital services in order to manage risks when it comes to providing us with energy in crisis and war. “This is an opportunity for the Defence League to be of assistance. The cooperation agreement and our joint activities thus far with Elering are excellent examples of us moving in the right direction,” said Major General Tamm.

The cooperation agreement has been initially entered into for one year with the possibility of renewal.