Poland should rejoin nuclear project, says Kubilius

VILNIUS - Poland, which plans to develop its nuclear energy capacity, would benefit from participation in the Visaginas Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) project, says Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, reports ELTA. In an interview with radio Ziniu Radijas on July 5, Kubilius said that the Poles, together with Latvian and Estonian companies, used to be partners in the Visaginas NPP project, back when Gediminas Kirkilas was still Lithuanian prime minister. The Poles stopped their participation in the Visaginas NPP project last December.

The prime minister says that Poland is not a country of nuclear energy, but it plans to construct at least 3 power plants; therefore, it would be useful for Poland to gain experience from the Visaginas NPP project. “Poland’s participation in the Visaginas NPP project would be completely natural and logical. Their involvement in the Visaginas NPP is a real opportunity to get acquainted with the implementation of such projects. We are a valuable partner to the countries that would like to start the development of nuclear power themselves,” said Kubilius.

On June 21, the Seimas approved the Nuclear Power Plant Law amendments and agreed on the concession agreement with the strategic investor, the Japanese company Hitachi. This means that the Visaginas NPP project can be further carried out.

The beginning of Visaginas NPP construction is planned for 2015, whereas it is expected to start operating in 2020 -2021.