Latvia will begin the path to nuclear energy with research

If a state plans to develop nuclear energy, it must be remembered that this is a long process, so it is necessary to prepare for it in advance. The Ministry of Climate and Energy (MCE) has prepared a draft report on the possibilities for developing nuclear energy in Latvia and plans to conduct more in-depth studies.

In neighboring Estonia, the possibilities of developing nuclear energy are also being discussed. The Estonian parliament plans to develop a nuclear energy law in the next five years, analyze market developments and the actual cost of small modular reactors. Estonia has been working on this issue for a long time, allocating both human resources and funding for research, for example, almost 600,000 euros have been allocated for this purpose in 2024. Estonia is the furthest among the Baltic countries in terms of developing nuclear energy, and Poland is also working on this issue.

The head of the regulatory department of JSC “Latvenergo” and member of the board of JSC “Sadales tīkls” Kristaps Ločmelis notes that in the Baltic region two countries are very seriously considering the possibility of developing nuclear energy – these are Estonia and Poland, and this is logical, since historically both have built their own energy systems on the dirtiest resources: Estonia – on oil shale, and Poland – on coal. These resources need to be replaced with something, and natural gas is not considered an option, so nuclear energy remains.

Latvia has the opportunity to develop its own nuclear capabilities or cooperate in this area with Estonia.