Information Papers

Nuclear Power in Lithuania

(July 2008)

Lithuania has a population of about 3.5 million. In 204, the last year of having two reactors on line, they produced 13.9 billion kWh out of a total 19.3 billion kWh. In 2005 electricity production was 14.5 billion kWh with 3 billion kWh net exports. Per capita electricity consumption is about 4500 kWh/yr.

Nuclear industry development

In the northeast of the country Lithuania hosted the two largest Russian reactors of their type, known as RBMK. These Ignalina reactors were originally 1500 MWe units (1380 MWe net), but were later de-rated to 1360 MWe (1185 MWe net). Construction stared in 1978 and they came on line in 1983 and 1987, with a 30-year design life. Lithuania assumed ownership of them in 1991. They are light-water, graphite-moderated types, similar to those at Chernobyl in the Ukraine. A third unit was planned but not completed and then demolished.

Their location is beside a large lake, which is used for cooling.

Originally the Iganlina plants were designed to provide power not only for Lithuania but also for neighbouring Latvia, Belarus and the Kaliningrad area of Russia. In 1989 42% of the power was exported, but this fell through the 1990s.

In 1994, Lithuania agreed to accept funds - eventually 34.8 million ECU ($36.8 million) - from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's Nuclear Safety Account to support a safety improvement program at Ignalina. The EBRD placed conditions on the grant, which evolved to include closing both units, at least by the time their pressure tubes needed replacing after some 15-20 years. Substantial upgrades were effected, with considerable help from other countries, notably Sweden.

Due to strong EU concerns about this type of reactor, by the time Lithuania applied to join the EU it was required to close them both down. Hence unit 1 was closed in December 2004 and unit 2 is to be closed at the end of 2009. That will leave the only operating RBMK reactors in Russia. The EU has agreed to pay decommissioning costs and some compensation through to 2013. There is strong public opposition to the enforced closure of the second unit, and in July 2008 Lithuania's parliament voted to hold a referendum on whether to extend its operating life.

The Ignalina plant is operated by Ignalinos Atomine Elektrine (IAE) and supplies power to national utility Lietuvos Energija. The state Prices & Energy commission utility in September 2007 gave permission for the utility to increase electricity prices by 70% - mostly in 2010 to cover the increased costs of power after Ignalina-2 is closed.

Operating power reactors 

Reactor Type Net MWe First power Announced closure
Ignalina-2 RBMK 1185 1987 End of 2009


Plans for new capacity

In July 2006 Lithuania invited Poland to join with Estonia and Latvia in building a new large reactor in Lithuania, to replace the Ignalina units being shut down at EU insistence. Polish participation would justify a larger and more economical unit such as an EPR. A 2006 feasibility study, undertaken on behalf of the three Baltic states, showed that a new plant costing EUR 2.5 to 4.0 billion would be economically attractive and could be on line in 2015.

In February 2007 the three Baltic states and Poland agreed to build a new nuclear plant at Ignalina, initially with 3200 MWe capacity (2 x 1600 MWe). Lithuania as host will have 34% of the project and Poland, Latvia and Estonia 22% each. At least one unit of the project is expected to be operating by 2015. Total cost will be some EUR 6 billion. E.On and Vattenfall have expressed interest in investing in such a unit.

In 2007 Lietuvos Energija AB started the environmental impact assessment for the new nuclear power plant in Lithuania.  This evaluates the impacts of the new nuclear power plant of up to 3400 MWe at Ignalina and takes into consideration all commercially available and technically feasible reactor types.  The assessment is scheduled to be finished in February 2009.

In May 2008 the government formed the Lithuanian Energy Organisation (LEO) to build the new nuclear power plant and also transmission to Sweden and Poland. The state will hold a 61.7% share in the company, involving Lietuvos Energija and energy grid firm RST, while NDX Energija will hold 38.3% involving its grid company VST.

Meanwhile, and apart from Polish participation in the Baltic states nuclear plant, a high-voltage (400 kV) 1000 MW DC PowerBridge costing EUR 250-300 million to improve transmission capacity between Lithuania and Poland is to be built by 2015. It will be half funded by the EC.  This follows inauguration of an interconnector between Estonia and Finland - Estlink, a 150 kV, 350 MW DC cable costing EUR 110 million and also supported by EC funding.  (The Baltic states and Belarus have good interconnection of grids from the Soviet era, but this did not extend to Poland.)

A further major transmission link, of 700 to 1000 MWe (probably 750 MWe) is proposed undersea between Sweden and Lithuania, to allow power from the new joint reactor to be exported to Scandinavia.

Fuel cycle

Nuclear fuel is imported from Russia. Partly-used fuel from unit 1 is being used in unit 2, saving some EUR 40 million.

Radioactive waste management

The Radioactive Waste Management Agency (RATA) was established in 2001 by the Ministry of Economy for management and final disposal of all radioactive waste from the Ignalina plant during both operation and decommissioning.  In 2007 it identified a site close to Ignalina for a final repository for low- and intermediate-level wastes and the government approved this.  The repository is expected to be operational in 2015.

Due to the pools at both reactors being essentially full, some used fuel is stored in dry casks on site. A new interim spent fuel storage facility is being built.

Regulation

In 1991 the Lithuanian Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) was set up to oversee Ignalina. This now operated under the Ministry for the Economy and reports direct to government under a new statute dating from mid 2002.

A technical support organisation, the Independent Safety Analysis Group (ISAG) was also set up by the government at the Lithuanian Energy Institute in Kaunas to give technical assistance to both VATESI and the plant.

The Radiation Protection Centre oversees radiation protection, including monitoring of public exposure. It drafts laws and regulations on radiation protection.

Lithuania has been party to the Vienna Convention on civil liability for nuclear damage since 1994. It became a member of IAEA in 1993.

Non-proliferation 

Lithuania came under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1992 and the Additional Protocol in came into force in 2000.

Main References:
IAEA 2003 Country profiles.