Lithuania to sue EC over emissions quota

Thursday, 23 August 2007

The Lithuanian government will appeal to the European Court of Justice over the decision of the European Commission (EC) to allocate the country a low quota for greenhouse gas emissions.

 

The government's Strategic Planning Committee took a formal decision on 16 August to take legal action against the EC. Lithuania had requested an allowance to emit 11.2 million tonnes of CO2 annually from 2008 to 2012 compared to its current quota of 12 million tonnes per year. The country's industries had wanted an allowance of 16.6 million tonnes CO2 annually, but the EC allocated Lithuania just 8.8 million tonnes CO2 per year.

 

Environment minister Arunas Kundrotas told Reuters, "We will need another two million tonnes more CO2 allowance because of Ignalina nuclear power plant's closure in 2009."

He added that Lithuania would question the methods used by the EC to calculate the emission quota. The minister said, "The calculations cannot be based on the national GDP growth, they should be based on the growth in certain sectors, which trade in emission allowance." Kundrotas added, "An allowance cut will hurt Lithuania's economy."

 

The country has said that it will need to produce more electricity from fossil fuel plants in order to meet demand after the closure of the Soviet-built nuclear plant, a condition for Lithuania's entry into the European Union (EU) in 2004.

 

Lithuania is the seventh eastern European country to take legal action against the EC over its CO2 emission quotas. Baltic neighbours Latvia and Estonia, as well as Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia have also taken action.

 

The Ignalina plant consists of two RBMK reactors, originally 1500 MWe units, but later de-rated to 1360 MWe. Construction stared in 1978 and the units came on line in 1983 and 1987, respectively. Under Lithuania's EU accession agreement, unit 1 was closed in December 2004 and unit 2 is to be closed by the end of 2009. In anticipation of the closure of unit 2, Lithuania is planning to add new nuclear capacity.
 

In February 2007 Lativa, Lithuania and Estonia joined with Poland to agree to build a new nuclear plant at Ignalina, initially with 3200 MWe capacity (two 1600 MWe units). As host, Lithuania will have 34% of the project and Poland, Latvia and Estonia would have 22% each. At least one unit of the project is expected to be operating by 2015.

 

Further information

 

WNA's Nuclear Power in Lithuania information paper

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