Power talks fail to gain energy

VILNIUS - Lithuania still fails to agree with Latvia on the building of a power bridge with Sweden, LatvianTV channel  LTV reported.

Latvia'sPresident Valdis Zatlers' view is the same as Latvia's energy experts. Theiropinion is that the power link with Swedenshould only be built after setting up a joint Baltic electricity operator andanalyzing whether laying the link from Latvia could be cheaper.

"This could be any location in Latviaand any in Sweden.It is not important since we all are concerned about the energy security of theregion. The Baltic electricity market is common, it's just that we have tomodify the principles of the project so that it could be implemented by allcountries, perhaps first via the setting up of a joint venture - the regionalelectricity market operator, which would take care of energy supply toLithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland," Zatlers said recently after themeeting with Lithuania's President Valdas Adamkus in Klaipeda.

Lithuania, which completed astudy on the likelihood of a power link with Sweden last year, received evidencethat the project would be attractive commercially, and urges their neighbors tojoin the project as soon as possible. However, Rigaaims to conduct an analysis into a power link between Latvia and Sweden, which may last untilspring.

"We cannot lose a single day, a single hour in the implementation of thisplan. Otherwise we will come to harm and it would cost us a lot," Lithuania'sPresident Adamkus said.

The leaders of both countries agreed that the link with Sweden was oneof the key projects to ensure energy security and independence of the regionafter the shutdown of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP).

Initially the link was scheduled to be built by 2012. However, the observersbelieve now that the project may be implemented in 2015.