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Poland still backs Lithuania nuclear plan, with conditions: PM
Warsaw (AFP) Jan 14, 2009 Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk Wednesday reaffirmed Warsaw's backing for a four-nation nuclear power plant project in Lithuania, but said his country must get a major share of the output. "For Poland, these conditions must be met. The plant must have a capacity of more than 3,000 megawatts, and Poland must receive around 1,000 megawatts," Tusk told reporters at a joint press conference with his visiting Lithuanian counterpart, Andrius Kubilius. "If not, it will be a 'No'," he warned, although he underlined that the planned plant remained "strategic" for Poland. Lithuania, which neighbours Poland, is home to a Soviet-era power station near Ignalina in the east of the country, which it pledged to close by 2010 as part of the terms of its admission to the European Union in 2004. Lithuania and its fellow ex-communist 2004 EU entrants Poland, Latvia and Estonia have agreed to build a replacement plant, and reduce their reliance on energy from their former master Russia. But there has been limited progress. Tusk's liberal government, in office since the end of 2007, has like its conservative predecessor insisted on a major share of the new plant's power. Poland argues that with a population of 38 million, compared to its three Baltic partners' combined seven million, it deserves a big slice. The goal has been to bring the new plant online by 2015, although experts suggest 2017-2020 is more realistic. One of Ignalina's reactors was already closed in December 2004 and Lithuania is worried about a looming power shortfall because the plant provides the bulk of its power. To try to cope, Lithuania is hoping by 2010 to be hooked to the Polish electricity grid, which would also allow it to import electricity from elsewhere in Europe. But moves to build the so-called "power bridge" have also been slow. "Its construction will cost Poland around 800 million euros (one billion dollars). It's a vast project. We are ready to make that investment if our conditions are met," Tusk said. Kubilius said that for Lithuania, both the nuclear plant and the power bridge were "equally strategic, and perhaps even more so than for Poland." Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Finnish Fennovoima seeks permit to build new nuclear reactor
Helsinki (AFP) Jan 14, 2009Finnish utility group Fennovoima submitted Wednesday an application to the government to build a new nuclear reactor in Finland, the ministry of employment and the economy said. |
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