Plans to dam Daugava discussed

RIGA - The possibilities of constructing a new hydroelectric power plant across the Daugava River in Latgale should be assessed not only within the context of power utility Latvenergo plans, President Andris Berzins said in an interview with LETA. Berzins asks why it should be Latvenergo, and not someone else, to invest in this project. Latvenergo already has important and waiting obligations - the Visaginas Nuclear Power Plant project for one, added the president.
Berzins also emphasized that, when Latvia will join the Nordic free electricity market NordPool, Latvenergo will only be one of its electricity producers.

During an interview on the on-line discussion Dienas rits on June 18, Berzins said that Latvia should evaluate possibilities of constructing another larger dam and hydroelectric power plant on the Daugava River. Every country must evaluate the energy resource potential and opportunities available to it, pointed out the president.
Four Saeima members, elected from the Latgale election district, earlier this month expressed varied opinions on the issue.

On July 11 Berzins met with Inese Laizane (VL-TB/LNNK), Juris Vilums (Reform Party), Gunars Igaunis (Reform Party) and Janis Lacplesis (Unity) to discuss the plant’s potential construction.
Laizane said the matter requires thorough research and could be discussed this fall.
Lacplesis also approved of researching the matter. Vilums, however, was skeptical about the idea and pointed out that he would not trust the findings of this study conducted by those interested in the plant’s construction.
Berzins stated that the plant’s construction should be assessed in line with the recommendations from the Foreign Investors’ Council in Latvia.

However, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (Unity) has said that construction of a new hydroelectric power station on the Daugava is currently not on the government’s agenda.