Lithuania to propose a joint Baltic power plant to Estonia and Latvia
Lithuanian Minister of Energy Žygimantas Vaičiūnas stated on Thursday that Lithuania will propose the construction of a new power plant to Latvia and Estonia to ensure flexible electricity production and energy security.
The minister did not disclose more details of the potential project.
"Ideally, if we reach such an agreement with Latvia and Estonia, it could be a new power plant. With regional projects, we have a number of challenges in talking to regional partners. But if such a decision is taken, of course, such flexible generation is usually gas-fired generation, yet for the time being we are still in the initiation phase of this issue," Vaičiūnas told Lithuania's public broadcaster LRT Thursday.
"I would not be able to elaborate on the technology or the location aspects for the time being, because we need to hear the opinion of Latvia and Estonia first," the minister said.
The new government's program outlines plans to initiate discussions with other Baltic states on the possibility of organizing a joint auction to attract investors for the development of modern and flexible power plants. These facilities would generate electricity during prolonged periods of calm weather or in the absence of sunlight.
"We will propose this option on a more regional scale, because we are in the common electricity market with Latvia and Estonia, and it would be rational to take such decisions at a regional level," the minister added.
Past attempts to agree on the construction of a joint Baltic LNG terminal or a common gas market have not come to fruition. There have also been differences between the three neighbors regarding the Rail Baltica project, LRT notes.
Estonian Minister of Climate Yoko Alender (Reform) told ERR that Estonia should currently focus on building its own power plants.
"I believe that unity among the Baltic states and cooperation in the energy sector have indeed become very close, particularly in the context of this resynchronization process, and that is, of course, a positive development. However, I think the government's first priority right now is to make decisions regarding our own dispatchable capacities," Alender commented.
The article was updated to add comments by Minister of Climate Yoko Alender.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski
Source: BNS, LRT