VILNIUS - Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas last week urged Poland to intensify cooperation on the implementation of Lithuanian-Polish power grid project, which has already secured the support of the European Union.
Brazauskas discussed the challenges of the 1.5 billion litas (434 million euro) project at a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller on the sidelines of last week's EU summit in Brussels.
Brazauskas highlighted the importance of the bridge for Lithuania and Poland, as well as for the EU, noting that the bridge project was related closely with Lithuania's pledge to decommission Ignalina's nuclear power plant.
He asked his Polish counterpart to speed up the process of passing a resolution over the establishment of a joint venture for the implementation of the power bridge project.
Furthermore, Brazauskas urged the countries to draft and coordinate technical and financial documentation of the project that are required for the use of funds earmarked by the EU.
Assignations for the design stage of the project have been put at 29 million euros for the 2004 - 2006 period.
Pursuant to the assessments of foreign experts hired by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the power bridge project will be economically viable should the European Union earmark a grant of 949.5 million litas (275.2 million euros) to the project.
Last October European Commission President Romano Prodi pledged financial support for the construction of the Lithuanian-Polish power grid.
The power bridge project, which provides for the construction of a 1,000 MW power transmission line between the countries, as well as upgrades of Latvian and Estonian power plants, should be completed in 5 to 7 years.
