Lituanica

As the BNS reported Lithuania’s EconMinr Navickas and MP Veselka have urged the European Union (EU) to continue discussions on possibilities to extend the lifespan of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP).

The closure of nuclear power plant in 2009 would hit Lithuania’s economy hard, they argued at the international energy forum opened in Vilnius on Wednesday.

In response, a representative of the European Commission said that the shutdown of INPP was a closed issue and should not be discussed any further.  “The price of electricity will surge by approximately 40 percent after the closure of the power plant, and the country will depend on natural gas for about 75 percent of its total primary energy and heating generation requirements,” Navickas pointed out urging to continue discussions as to whether the lifespan of INPP could be extended. Veselka noted, meanwhile, that a decision to close INPP in 2009 was “of political nature”.

“The decisions taken by the EU and unwillingness to talk will leave Lithuania totally dependent on Gazprom after 2009,” MP said. As the BNS informed the closure of INPP would cost Lithuania’s business some 500-600 million euros per year in additional expenditures on energy, which would slow the growth of gross domestic product (GDP) by some 10 percent, Veselka noted. “The EU is speaking about the necessity to boost competitiveness and, simultaneously, is taking decisions that are undermining competitiveness of one particular EU Member State,” the MP pointed out.

Meanwhile, Jean-Arnold Vinois, head of the Energy Policy and Security of Supply Unit of the Directorate-General for Energy and Transport of the European Commission, said that the problems concerning the closure of INPP would not be discussed. “This issue has been closed, you have received about 1 billion euros to close the Ignalina power plant,” Vinois noted.

“Lithuania’s economy is growing by some 8 percent per year, and your country has excellent possibilities,” he added.

He also prompted Lithuania to cooperate with Latvia and Estonia in solving the problems of energy sector.

Lithuania is obliged to close INPP in 2009. The country aims to build a new nuclear power plant in partnership with other Baltic countries and Poland.