Belarus long ago became a nuclear power, both units of our nuclear power plant are functioning properly, it gives both electricity and a powerful synergy effect: Ostrovets city faces unprecedented development. And in the neighboring Lithuania, which has turned its nose so long and so hard at our plant, which has closed its plant and so carefully pursued plans to develop green energy, the advantages of nuclear and small nuclear reactors have now been seriously considered.
However, such plans are seen as utopian and even absurd (however, as almost any initiative of modern official Vilnius). The closure of the once efficient and prosperous Ignalina nuclear power plant has become not a contribution to the green economy" but a perennial symbol of corruption and sheer stupidity. And that's what the new edition of the authorial program "Platform" is about.
If the Lithuanian Ministry of Energy promises citizens anything grand and cheap, they start to panic. Since something unnecessary and extremely expensive is sure to come out, ironically reports Baltnews portal. Sometimes it is even close to disaster.
This was the case with the oil terminal in the Baltic village of Butinge near Palanga resort.
They promised the cleanest and most technically exemplary, and in fact when the first tanker was unloaded almost 3.5 tons of oil was discharged into the sea. There's been seven leaks in 15 years. The latest is in February this year. Poles (the owners of the terminal) fear that they dropped only 300 liters of oil at sea. Lithuanians talk about almost 2 tons. The leaky terminal not only turns Palanga into a mud sanatorium, but also seriously troubles Latvia. The sea is one thing for everyone.
However, Lithuanians also prepare a surprise for Latvians on the land. They are looking for a site to build a nuclear depth grave for waste from the former Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Three options for such a site are next door to Latvia.
Ignalina, by the way, is a special issue. Its closure in late 2009 was Lithuania's entry ticket to the EU. The newest plant, which provides 120% of the economy with the cheapest electricity on the continent, was disabled. Immediately they bought up to 75% of their energy consumption from Russia.
Vilnius's logic and limitations organically complemented Brussels' greed. The EU has not been as generous as it thought. The money to shut down the nuclear power plant came in barely half of what was promised. This is half-life. With a budget saw. In the first 2 years after the closure of the nuclear power plant alone, 300,000 euros was spent on business trips of Ignalina managers.
And it's little things. In 2018, the Lithuanian Prosecutor’s Office submitted a criminal case against former INPP leaders to the court. The main charge is manipulation of the auction of the station's property for 1.5 million euros.
Of course, all this could be called purely Lithuanian internal affairs. There are, however, things that our country cannot help but be concerned about.
Thus, on 5 October 2010, about 300 tons of highly radioactive liquid spilled during the decontamination work at Unit 1 of the NPP, which had been shut down for almost 6 years. We weren't informed, by the way. Fortunately, the southerly wind prevailed that day, that is, it was blowing from our side.
In the summer of 2016, a last moment fire was prevented at INPP. Another disturbing case occurred on December 31, 2017. At that time, the plant was removing hazardous waste and suddenly found that its radioactive level was much higher than estimated.
It's been 14 years since Ignalina closed. But power engineers and geologists are still busy choosing a site to store its waste. And they're looking for a grave site until 2047. The reason is simple, it was summed up succinctly by Baltnews:
But the Lithuanian Ministry of Energy is illuminated by a new eureka. Small modular reactors are designed to save the country from major problems. They haven't been developed yet, though. But Vilnius seems to be not caring about it at all. Just like about the green economy, for which the Ignalina nuclear power plant was shut down. Don't look for logic here. The capital with the tower of Gedemin has long been "without a head". It has no choice but to close itself off from Belarus, which is so prosperous next door. And dig a grave. And wait for half-life.
