Poland, Lithuania to Sign "Energy Bridge" Accord
Feb 5, 2008 - BBC Monitoring
European
An agreement establishing a Polish-
Lithuanian venture to build an "energy bridge" linking
Poland's and Lithuania's power grids is to be signed
in Warsaw on 12 February, Lithuanian Economics Minister
Vyatas Navickas said.
Navickas discusses energy cooperation
with Polish, Latvian and Estonian economics ministers
in Vilnius today. Poland said in October that the
construction of the energy bridge with Lithuania
would be delayed unless
Poland got 1,000-1,200 MW from the
new nuclear power station under construction in
Ignalina.
According to Poland's Economics Minister
Waldemar Pawlak, the linking of Poland's and Lithuania's
grids is a "matter of overriding importance."
The minister stressed that Poland
expects to get a "satisfying share both in the enterprise
for the construction of a new power station, and
then in electric power."
The ministers also discussed plans
to build the Amber gas pipeline from Russia through
the Baltic countries and Poland to Western Europe
as an alternative to the Baltic Sea Nord Stream
gas pipeline.
Also on Monday Polish economics minister
met Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas
who said that Poland's request for 1,000- 1,200
MW could be met if the Ignalina power station had
the capacity of up to 3,400 MW.
"If the power station has the capacity
of 3,400 MW, all sides to the project will be satisfied,"
Kirkilas said.
Originally published by PAP news agency,
Warsaw, in English 1822 4 Feb 08.
(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring European.
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