Lithuanian parliament adopts law to block Chinese access to solar, wind farm systems

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - The Lithuanian parliament adopted a law to block Chinese access to the country’s solar and wind farm systems, local media reported on Tuesday.

Seventy-nine MPs voted in favor of the amendments to the Law on Electricity, which intended to block Chinese companies from getting remote access to the control systems of solar and wind farms and batteries larger than 100 kW, public broadcaster LRT reported.

Citing the country’s Energy Ministry, the broadcaster noted that there are currently more than 1,000 solar and wind farms larger than 100 kW in Lithuania, and there are also several batteries of the same capacity, some of which have Chinese-made control systems and are remote-controlled.

Accordingly, Chinese equipment will not be banned in wind and solar farms, nor will there be a requirement to scrap the equipment already installed, but the operators of the power plants that have it will have to put in place additional safeguards to ensure cyber security.

The changes will enter into force on May 1, 2025.

In October, Deputy Energy Minister Inga Ziliene stressed legislation was meant to decrease the risks and threats to the operation of the electricity system, which could be disrupted by the remote use of equipment manufactured by “hostile countries.”

According to Lithuania’s National Security Strategy approved by the government, China is among the countries, which pose a threat to the country’s national security and national security interests.