Baltic States – CIS, Belarus, Energy, Legislation, Lithuania, Nuclear power plant
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Friday, 29.03.2024, 09:43
Lithuanian ministry drafts plan for blocking power from Astravyets NPP
The proposed measures are part of a draft plan for protecting Lithuania
against threats posed by the nuclear power plant, which Belarus is building
close to Vilnius. The Energy Ministry worked out the plan and submitted it to
the Seimas last week.
The proposals also include seeking an agreement with Latvia and Estonia by
the second quarter of 2018 to apply taxes to electricity from Belarus and
Russia if the European Commission approves such a measure.
The plan also calls for reaching an agreement with neighboring countries by
the first quarter of 2019 on restricting the import of electricity from the
Astravyets facility.
The ministry also proposes to change the rules for the use of electricity
to prevent the Kruonis facility from providing balancing services to the
Astravyets plant. Belarus back in 2015 asked for future access to Kruonis'
services, but Lithuania then said that there was no such possibility.
Some of the proposed measures are linked to the planned synchronization of
the Baltic power grids with the western European system. Lithuania seeks to
synchronize its grid via Poland and expects to reach a deal on that in the
first quarter of 2018.
The Seimas last June passed a law declaring the Astravyets plant a threat
to national security, environment and public health.
Lithuania calls on other countries in the region to join its initiative for
barring market access to electricity from Belarus' new nuclear power plant.