Lithuania was going to build a new nuclear power plant. Estonia and Poland take the initiative

Visaginas nuclear power plant model

After October 14th, held an advisory referendum, in which was said "no new nuclear power plant construction" have said 62.68 percent of Lithuanian electoral votes. Latvia and Estonia as well as many foreign observers makes skeptical assessment of project viability.

Lithuania is the most dependent country in Europe on energy imports. We import about 60 percent. electricity, but the rest are made of imported gas - only 15 per cent. Lithuania is currently unable to produce electricity without the imported resources.
Currently 30 countries worldwide electricity produced 436 nuclear reactors.  Under construction are 65 new nuclear reactors in the 14 states.

Oposition take action to nuclear power in Lithuania

 In 2011  77.7 percent of electricity in France was produced by nuclear power plants. The same were produced in Lithuania, before has been closed at Visaginas nuclear plant. In the Belgium and Slovakia electricity produced at nuclear power plants consist of 54 percent., Ukraine - 47 percent., In the Hungary, Slovenia and Switzerland are more than 40 percent., The Czech Republic and Bulgaria - 33 percent. Our neighbors Swedish nuclear power plants produce at the nuclear power plants - 40 percent., and 32 percent of Finlands electricity.

 III generation  reactor is a natural second-generation reactor developt and improved . With particular emphasis on passive, according to the eternal laws of physics, operating in security systems. Reactor is planned to work for 60 years.

Currently the world is composed of four third-generation reactors. All of them are smart boiling water reactors ABWR. Visaginas NPP which was planed under construction even safer. It was produced by Japanese firm Hitachi and U.S. company GE ABWR, reactor  belonging to the III + generation. About twenty Generation III + reactors are planned to be build in the U.S..
Generation IV reactors are reactors in the future. They will produce more nuclear fuel than  use. It will be connected to high temperatures in the extraction of hydrogen energy. Their appearance in the commercial market is planned in a few decades, but these fusion reactors which produce electricity, according to experts, we will have to wait about 50 years.


Clearly there is a risk that the project may be technologically outdated. Lithuania planed to build a new nuclear power plant in 10 years. During the first 18 years, after plant will start to produce electricity, will have to pay additional debt service costs. But plants life time is 60 years.  The cost of nuclear fuel to the power plant make up only about 10 percent of costs. Therefore, the changes in fuel prices leads to low power generation costs.

 It is worth for Lithuania to make this  project. New Visaginas Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) project, said Lithuania's largest  SEB bank adviser  Gitanas Nauseda.
Japanese corporation Hitachi should  manage by 20 percent stock of new nuclear power plant. Lithuania manage 38 percent. common shares. Latvia should be given 20 per cent of the company's shares, while Estonia - 22 percent. Of the 17 billion litas  investment Lithuanians part would be around 5-6 billion. litas. - This money should not come from the state budget, in part borrowed the Visaginas nuclear power plant, which will be managed by Lithuanian state about 34 percent. of the company's shares. Implementation of the project in 2011-2050should increase Lithuania's gross domestic product (GDP) of 34.7 billion. LTL.

It is estimated that the cost of electricity   should be as high as 7-10 cents, while the loans, which are to be repaid within 18 years, the costs - would be another 10-15 cents. After 18 years of operation, when the loan is repaid - about 2,040 years - free cash flow to shareholders of the  nuclear power will significantly increase.

The  new plant within 60 years of its operation time will add value to all taxpayers. The budget will be paid a large amount of the dividends - expert estimates that within 60 years of operation time of the power plant, at current prices, the state budget, as the Visaginas nuclear power plant awner, in dividends will be  payed about € 30 billion. LTL. Can we rely on the assumption that electricity demand? Will it grow in the region?
 After Lithuania's population is decreasing rapidly, and it is unlikely that by the year 2021, this trend will change. Latvia's population is decreasing also. What about electricity demand in the all Baltic region ?

Recently, the demand for electricity is growing - it is true, more slowly than originally planned, but there is no recession. Moreover, we should not forget the fact that electricity consumption in Lithuania per capita several times lower than per capita in Sweden and more than ten times less than  per capita in Norway and Finland. Compared to Poland, electricity consumption per capita  one and  half times less. After all, we will not live in the stone or bronze age all the time? Electricity demand is expected to increase.
In the Scandinavia a lot of electricity is used for the  heating in the winter season.


On the other hand, let's look at our foreign trade balance: it is negative now and getting worse all the time. Around 60 per cent. energy we import.
 Efforts should be made to sell something, not just buy.

                                                   -----    After ten years  ---------

Polish energy company Orlen and two U.S. governmental institutions signed agreement to develop small nuclear power reactors in Poland. It turns towards energy that is renewable, it tries to break reliance on coal. Institutions signed letters of agreement to lend up to 4 billion to the Orlen Synthos Green Energy project. It aims to develop up to 20 small BWRX - 300 modular reactors designed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. 

Coal mining is among Poland`s largest employers, providing 80000 jobs and 70% country`s energy. 

Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek  told Associated Press that only nuclear power can guarantee energy security and keep the lights on than the wind is not blowing and the sun is not shining.

Poland`s first BWRX-300 reactor should be launch in 2032 and will be the world`s  second after similar one opens in Darlington, Canada. Constructions work has to be began in Poland 2026.

                             

                               Ontario Premier speaks at the site of SMR Darlington on Dec.2022

                                                                                                             @www.opg.com 

                                

                                    Concept of the nuclear plant,                     @www.opg.com

BWRX - 300 modular reactors take up to 10 % of the surface area of conventional nuclear power plant . One such facility can be built at the Plock oil refinery . Over 60 years of work plant will avoid 175 millions tons of emissions. 

The same reactor has chosen Estonia. Hando Sutter , the chairmen of the Estonian state energy group Esti Energia, predicted that the modular nuclear reactor can be built in 2030. The approval of the parliament is necessary.   

Key words - Visaginas nuclear power plant,  III generation  reactor, BWRX - 300 modular reactor, Esti Energia, SMR Darlington, Orlen Synthos Green Energy project, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.