Expert: Baltic NPP will help to overcome energy shortage in Kaliningrad region:

— «Gazprom» carries out construction of Kaliningrad heat and power plant-2 in Kaliningrad region, and as expected, the plant will be ready for functioning by the end of 2010, whereas commissioning of the first power unit of the NPP is planned only by 2016. After commissioning of heat and power plant-2, as supposes expert of FNES, Kaliningrad region will be able to export electric power

The main advantage of NPP construction is overcoming of energy shortage in Kaliningrad region and opportunity of export supplies of electric power to Baltic countries, Poland and probably to Germany, considers leading expert of Fund of national energy safety Alexander Perov. In connection with closing of Ignalina NPP in Lithuania, Baltic countries faced severe power shortage, considered the expert. Perov reminded that «Gazprom» carries out construction of Kaliningrad heat and power plant-2 in Kaliningrad region, and as expected, the plant will be ready for functioning by the end of 2010, whereas commissioning of the first power unit of the NPP is planned only by 2016. After commissioning of heat and power plant-2, as supposes expert of FNES, Kaliningrad region will be able to export electric power.

According to Perov, it is necessary to calculate what the demand for energy will be in the future: «It is still early to say that the heat and power plant will not backlog for the future. It is not clear yet for how long the crisis will continue, degree of readiness of Baltic countries to buy electric power from Russia instead of construction of their own NPP». At that Alexander Perov paid attention to the paradox: «in the situation around Kaliningrad NPP, Rosatom actually competes with itself. The matter is that Inter RAO UES – subsidiary of the nuclear corporation, participates in erection of heat and power plant-2».

Let us remind that on 25 February in Neman district of Kaliningrad region, solemn ceremony of beginning of Baltic nuclear power plant construction was held. Vice premiers of the Government of RF Sergey Ivanov, head of state corporation «Rosatom» Sergey Kirienko and governor of the region Georgy Boos laid commemorative stone with a capsule at the place of the construction.