Poland Could Take Part in Construction of Npp in Lithuania

RIGA. Oct 30 (Interfax) – The presidents of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia said at an annual meeting in Riga on Tuesday that Poland could certainly take part in the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Lithuania.

Poland earlier expressed a desire to take part in the construction of the nuclear power plant, control 25% of its shares and receive 25% of the electricity it produces. The Lithuanian government’s decision to invite Poland to take part in the project was met by discontent by Latvia and Estonia, which believe there was a lack of consultations on the issue.

Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus said at a press conference following the meeting that Poland does not pose any threat to the project and is not hindering its realization.

Estonian President Tomas Hendrik Ilves said “Poland is a good friend and ally, and the promotion of the project is likely being hindered by a lack of information from Lithuania.”

Lithuania’s Lietuvos Energija, Latvia’s Latvenergo, and Estonia’s Eesti Energia agreed last year to build a new nuclear power plant in Lithuania by 2015. The construction of a 3,300-megawatt nuclear power plant has been estimated at about 7.1 billion euro.

The first reactor of the still operating Soviet-built Ignalina nuclear power plant was stopped on December 31, 2004, and the plant should be completely shut down in 2009. The closure of the Ignalina nuclear power plant was among the terms for Lithuania’s accession to the European Union.

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