As thousands of residents remain without electricity nearly two weeks after a destructive storm, Prezidentas met with government officials and municipal mayors to discuss increased compensation for affected households and enhanced preparedness for future storms and potential hostile state attacks.
Current Outages and Municipal Impact
Out of the initial 5 tūkstančių subscribers who lost power, roughly 4 tūkst. remain without electricity 12 days after the severe weather, with the highest concentrations located in the Molėtai, Utena, and Anykščiai districts according to official reports. According to Anykščiai District Mayor Kęstutis Tubis, 760 subscribers in his district have spent 12 days without power, noting that service was temporarily restored in some rural sub-districts only to be lost again. Utena District Mayor Marijus Kaukėnas stated that his region faces the worst situation with over 1 000 accounts still dark, criticizing the restoration pace and dismissing the September 3 target date as an unfulfilled promise. Molėtai District Mayor Saulius Jauneika reported that about 800 users in his district lack electricity, leaving entire villages without power and rendering operator timelines ineffective.
Did You Know? The storm that struck Lithuania on August 22 caused widespread destruction, with meteorological data indicating it was the most powerful storm recorded in the country since 1970, leaving more than 268,000 ESO customers without power at its peak and triggering a state-level emergency.
Financial Compensation and Operator Criticism
State officials are examining how to adjust compensation frameworks and review corporate profits to strengthen the grid. According to Energy Regulatory Council Chairman Renatas Pocius, current rules limit compensation to a maximum of 100 euros even if a customer paid just 20 euros annually for distribution and went without power for 5 to 10 days, failing to incentivize faster restoration by the operator. Finance Minister Taurimas Valys noted that payouts to affected residents could exceed the previously estimated 7 million eurų once all claims are fully calculated. Meanwhile, presidential adviser Ramūnas Dilba questioned whether the distribution operator, ESO, allocates sufficient profits to network renewal, noting that the company paid nearly 30 mln. eurų in dividends to its parent firm, Ignitis Grupė, last year. Anykščiai District Mayor Kęstutis Tubis added that subsidiary firms previously sold off equipment, leaving the Utena region with only two repair brigades to cover eight municipalities.
Proposed Infrastructure Reforms
Energy Minister Lukas Savickas acknowledged clear gaps in response speed, resilience, and logistical mobilization, noting that neither public nor official expectations are being met. The Ministry plans to introduce a four-year grid strengthening program that involves burying electrical cables underground, acquiring portable generators, and investing in battery storage systems. Government projections indicate that executing this plan would cut the number of affected subscribers in half during future storms and restore power to at least 80 percent of users within the first three days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many subscribers are still without electricity?
According to municipal and utility data, approximately 4 tūkst. subscribers remain without power 12 days after the storm, primarily in the Molėtai, Utena, and Anykščiai districts.
What is the government planning to do to prevent future outages?
Energy Minister Lukas Savickas announced plans for a four-year network reinforcement strategy, which includes burying power lines underground, purchasing backup generators, and investing in battery storage.
Are compensation payouts expected to increase?
Presidential and government officials are discussing higher compensation packages for affected residents, and Finance Minister Taurimas Valys stated that total payouts could surpass the initial 7 million eurų estimate.
How should utility operators balance shareholder dividends with mandatory infrastructure investments in climate resilience?
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