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Interconnections mark Lithuania's new energy era

Xinhua, December 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

Leaders of Lithuania and the Baltic energy companies have launched the country's power links with Poland and Sweden on Monday, in a move that is seen as the beginning of the new era on the European energy map.

Dalia Grybauskaite, Lithuanian president, Algirdas Butkevicius, the country's prime minister, representatives from Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, Polish, and Swedish governments, as well as the European Commission officials, and the CEOs of transmission system operators attended a symbolic ceremony in Vilnius, Lithuanian capital, to launch power interconnections LiPol Link and NordBalt.

The electricity links connect Lithuania, a small Baltic country, with Polish and Swedish electricity systems, thus providing Lithuania the access to European electricity market.

In her speech during the ceremony, Grybauskaite highlighted that the power link strengthens stability in the region and solidarity with Poland and Sweden and diminishes energy dependency.

She noted that LiPol Link and NordBalt will also ensure the reliability of electricity supply and lower the costs for electricity consumers.

With the new links, Lithuania is to enter the region's electricity market for the first time, according to the president.

"From now on, electricity produced not only in Poland or Sweden, but in Germany and Denmark as well, will be able to reach the Baltic countries and vice versa," said Grybauskaite.

Rokas Masiulis, Lithuanian energy minister, expects electricity prices for Lithuanian retail consumers to drop by 7 percent next year, after the links come into operation.

"In the wholesale market the decrease would be around 10-12 percent," Masiulis said in a press conference.

Lithuania and Latvia have been currently paying the highest electricity price among all countries operating at the Nordic electricity market, according to Litgrid, Lithuania's power transmission system operator.

The company said that with symbolic activation "the new era with Lithuania on the European energy map" begins.

LiPol Link, the 500 megawatts interconnection with Poland stretched to as long as 163 km, is the first power link which connects technologically different electricity systems of Lithuania and western Europe.

Lithuanian and Polish transmission system operators Litgrid and PSE started to implement the project in 2008.

NordBalt, the 700 MW power link, is Lithuania's first interconnection with Scandinavia. A 453 km-long cross-border electricity link is also one of the longest sea cables in the world, according to Litgrid.

Both interconnections have been currently operating on testing mode. The electricity transferred via LiPol Link is already traded at Nord Pool Spot power market. Endit