The policeman, dressed in the black uniform of the special public security branch of the Lithuanian police, approached with a mirror to slide under the car, to make sure there were no explosives. One inspection of the trunk, another under the hood; the way was clear, visitors could go through. There was not a hint of suspicious activity in the monotonous, deserted, snow-covered countryside near Alytus, a small town in Lithuania, but there was also no question of taking the slightest risk. This transmission point in the Lithuanian power grid, bristling with pylons and high-voltage cables, plays a major geopolitical role.

On Saturday, February 8, the power grids of the three Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) were disconnected from those of Russia. After a day's autonomous operation, it is due to be connected to the European grid on Sunday. The Alytus center, some 50 kilometers from the Polish border, is on the front line. It receives the high-voltage lines coming from Poland, and beyond in Europe, ensuring the connection. When Le Monde visited the site on Tuesday, the brand-new equipment was ready to operate.

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