Lithuania hopes for EUR 600m energy bridge to Poland

The Lithuanian authorities hope they will manage to persuade the Polish government to build an energy bridge between the two countries. "I can see some progress. We are finding a common interest which has not been there before and it seems we managed to convince the Poles that the investment will also be profitable for them," stated Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas. Lithuanians have a vital interest in the energy bridge since after the closure of the Ignalin nuclear power plant in 2009 Lithuania will have to import power. Without power from the Polish grid, Lithuania will have to look to Russia. The construction of a power line connecting the two countries and ancillary facilities would cost about EUR 600 million. Krzysztof Żmijewski, a former CEO of the Polish Grid (PSE), believes that the connection would also require extension of connections between Poland with Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. If the decision about the investment is made, it will be implemented by the PSE on the Polish side and by Lietuvos Energia from Lithuania. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B1) E.B.