OREANDA-NEWS. October 12, 2009. Lietuvos Energija signed a contract with Belarussian energy concern Belenergo regarding supply of electricity from January 1, 2010 after closure of Ignalina NPP in Lithuania.

According to Mr. Edvardas Vazgela, Director of Department of Market Administration, based on this contract Belenergo will propose electricity volumes and prices for each subsequent week, while Lietuvos Energija, with regard to the situation in the market, will decide on volumes of electricity to be purchased from this supplier and will submit it to auction.

We have secured a possibility of electricity supply from Nordic markets, Estonia, Latvia and now we successfully rounded up negotiations with a Belarussian energy company. Given the procurement possibilities of electricity from as many countries as possible, we will be ready to reliably provide Lithuania with power upon closure of the nuclear power plant”, - says Mr. Edvardas Vazgela.

Currently negotiations are being held regarding electricity supply possibilities from the Ukraine and Russia.

The expected electricity demand of Lithuania in 2010 is roughly 9.1 billion kilowatthours (kWh). It is expected, that up to 3 bn kWh next year will be generated by Lietuvos Elektrine (Elektrenai), 0.35 bn kWh – by renewables (hydro power plants, wind parks), up to 1.15 bn kWh – by thermal power plants of Lithuania. About 35 per cent of Lithuanian electricity demand will be covered by power purchased at market conditions from Estonia, Latvia, Scandinavia, the Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Lithuanian generators.

From January 1 of the next year, the revised legal acts, regulating electricity import will come into force.