VILNIUS - Lithuanian and Estonian politicians have expressed varying positions on how to go about deciding what size stakes each of the participating countries should hold in a new nuclear power plant to be built in Lithuania. While in Vilnius on May 30, Estonian Economics and Communications Minister Juhan Parts said that the decision should be left to the companies participating in the project, and not politicians.
However, his Lithuanian colleague, Economy Minister Vytas Navickas, said that the nuclear power plant, which has a 2015 target date, is an exceptional project and its ownership structure has to be established by law. The Seimas (Lithuanian parliament) is currently considering a draft law on the subject.
In the opinion of Parts, who belongs to the free-market Res Publica/Pro Patria Union, "The question of shares should be discussed among the companies that will be directly responsible for the implementation of the project."
Navickas explained that a bill on the 4 billion euro plant, which the Seimas is expected to pass in June, calls for Lithuania to own a 34 percent stake in a joint venture that will run the facility. By contrast, the Estonian, Latvian and Polish participants would each have a 22 percent stake.
Parts did not say exactly how many shares Estonia wanted to have in the project. He only said that Tallinn's starting negotiating position was 33 percent, as provided for in a memorandum signed by the prime ministers of the three Baltic countries in the beginning of 2006.
Getting the project off the ground has proven to be complex after Lithuanian officials made a number of decisions unilaterally without consulting all partners to the project.
Latvian and Estonian government officials have reportedly asked Lithuanian lawmakers not to include into the law a provision that Lithuania would hold at least 34 percent of shares in the project.
A final agreement, if reached, would lead to the construction of a 3,200-megawatt nuclear power plant by 2015 and link Lithuania's power grid with those of Poland and Sweden by 2013.
Meanwhile, top international energy and engineering firms continue to show an interest in participating in the project.
GE Energy, the energy unit of U.S.-based General Electric, said last week it was interested in participating in the construction of a new nuclear facility in Lithuania, according to the government.
Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas on May 31 met with John Krenick, president of GE Energy, to discuss the U.S. firm's readiness to provide a new generation boiling water reactor and other components for the atomic power plant, the government's press service reported.
After legislation on the nuclear power plant is passed in June, Lithuanian authorities would set up a national investment company, after which they will announce an international tender for various parts of the project.
