BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/10/2010

Belarus offers Lithuania to build joint nuclear plant

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko suggested that Lithuania and Belarus should build a nuclear power plant together. He made the offer during the visit of Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite in Minsk this week, reports The Lithuania Tribune.

"If we built our own power plant, you would have to buy electricity from our plant. If we built it together, you would buy electricity from your own plant. Let's set the price for the plant and build it together. We are interested in it, if Lithuania wants it," Lukashenko said during a press conference.

Speaking about the Ukrainian electricity transit to Lithuania via Belarus, Lukashenko said: "In terms of power transit, the Lithuanian President raised the issue and I said that we have no problems. The person who is in charge - the vice-premier - said once again that the problem is not in Belarus. If there is a need to ensure the transit of a million of kilowatt-hours, just say it when and what direction. We will do that. If there is a need for a certain connection for us to buy there and sell ours to you, we are ready for that. We'll do whatever you tell us."

Commenting the offer, Grybauskaite reportedly expressed doubts whether the plan was realistic. According to President's spokesperson, the Lithuanian President was convinced that there was no need for such large scale projects and a few smaller plants could successfully function in the regio, to say nothing of the fact that it would be difficult to administer the plant due to different legislative base in Lithuanian and Belarus.

Source:

http://balticbusinessnews.com/article/2010/10/21/Belarus_offers_Lithuania_to_build_joint_nuclear_plant