LITHUANIA

Lithuania raises Russian new NPP build plans among EU environment  ministers

At the meeting of the EU Environment Ministers in Luxembourg, on the 11ht of June 2010, Lithuania raised the issue of the proposed new reactors in neighbouring territories. The Lithuanian government memo, including map, is here:
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/10/st10/st10852.en10.pdf

The Council press release after the meeting states: “Nuclear installations planned in the EU neighbourhood

The Lithuanian delegation informed about nuclear installations planned in the EU neighbourhood,
which may significantly affect the environment of EU member states (10852/10). Lithuania
expressed its wish to see greater involvement on the part of the Commission and EU member states in the associated environmental impact assessment procedures. Some delegations, in support, highlighted the importance of respecting international obligations under the Espoo convention on environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context.”

Latvia, Estonia push for Baltic nuclear plant

by Staff Writers


The Baltic states’ leaders and the heads of their national energy
“Latvia and Estonia Wednesday are tired of delays to a four-nation nuclear power plant project which is meant to help the Baltic states reduce the energy clout of their Soviet-era master Moscow.(…) The Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, plus fellow 2004 European Union entrant Poland, have pledged to build a replacement for a Soviet-era nuclear power plant in Lithuania. Lithuania agreed to close the plant, located near Ignalina in the east of the country, by the end of year 2009 under the terms of its EU admission.
The goal has been to bring the new plant online by 2015, although experts suggest 2017-2020 is more realistic because progress has been slow, notably amid wrangling over each country’s share of the output…”
 
 
 

 Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant

http://www.iae.lt/infocenter_en.asp?lang=1&sub=1

Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is a two-unit RBMK-1500 nuclear power station in Visaginas, Lithuania. It is named after a larger nearby town Ignalina. Unit 1 was closed in December 2004, as a condition of Lithuania’s entry into the European Union; the plant is similar to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in its lack of a robust containment building. The remaining unit, as of 2006, supplied about 70% of Lithuania’s electrical demand. Unit 2 is scheduled for closure on December 31, 2009. Proposals have been made to construct another nuclear power plant next to Ignalina, at Visaginas, Lithuania, but the global financial crisis of 2009 makes financing a multi-billion dollar new plant a challenging proposition.

Atgaja, Lithuanian Green Movement

http://www.atgaja.lt/index.php?id=1-0-0-0

http://bankwatch.ecn.cz/project.shtml?apc=147583-153981—1&s=315347

Atgaja is an independent non-governmental organization, working for environment protection and sustainable development. Goals:
– Solution of environmental problems, seeking to reduce negative impact of human activities to environment.

Fields of activities:
– Energy, transport and environment.
– Promotion and development of the bicycle transport and tourism.
– International Financial Institutions and their impacts for environment and society.
– European Union Structural funds and environment.
– Public awareness and environmental education
– Protection of cultural and historical heritage.
– Organizing of seminars, conferences, exhibitions, camps, and other events related to environment protection