How Lithuania became a nuclear free country.

How Lithuania became a nuclear-free country

Andrey Ozharovskiy,

Nuclear Expert with Bellona.ru / Bellona.org

[email protected]

Lithuania is a country at Baltic Sea, former part of Russian (then Soviet) Empire.

At Soviet Union time in Lithuania 2 “enhanced” Chernobyl-type graphite reactors (RBMK-1500) were built at Ignalina nuclear power plant.

Lithuania has re-established independence after Soviet Union disintegration in 1990 and joins the European Union in 2004.

One of conditions of accession to the EU was to shut down reactors at Ignalina, as they did not fit in the EU safety standards.

Reactors were closed in 2004 and 2009. Since 2009 Lithuania became a nuclear-free country, but with huge problems of nuclear waste and decommissioning.

Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage at Ignalina Site.

Right after the Ignalina shut down Lithuanian nuclear lobbyists start pushing a project to build new reactors at Ignalina site. For political reasons new nuclear power station was called Visaginas.In 2007 decision in principal to buid a new NPP was taken and even public hearing were held. But for next 4 years there were no investors for Visaginas nuclear project.

After Fukushima disaster Hitachi, Ltd with Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd was selected as the Strategic Investor for Visaginas NPP in June 2011. They offered for Visaginas its ABWR reactor and 20% of project costs.

Lithuanian government and Prime Minister Kubiliussupported nuclear project.

Main international nuclear lobbyist came to Vilnius to support the project. For instance, IAEA head Yukiya Amano.People met him with a protest rally.

Experts and people did not support new nuclear construction.

Main problems of the project were:•Financial feasibility;•Safety concerns;•Energy sufficiency of the country;•Good alternatives (wind energy, LNG terminal).

Several Lithuanian NGOs and political parties run a campaign against new nuclear reactor construction.

There were rallies, press-conferences, petitions, etc.

<Future without atoms> - demonstration in Vilnius on Chernobyl Day.

The campaign organised by several NGOs (leading by <Atgaja Community>, atgaja.lt) and political parties (<Farmers and Greens Party>, <Green Party>), anarchist groups and community-based organizations.

Antinuclear Campaign of Belarus also joined campaign against new NPP as the site was at a transboundary lake 2.5 km from the border.

<Nuclear Death Comes from Ignalina> - an action in Belarus.

<Fukushima #2, Do You Need It, Lithuania?> -action in Belarus next to the NPP site.

It is important to mention, that at Lithuanian borders Russia was going to build 2 NPPs (in Kaliningrad oblast and in Belarus). Lithuanian campaign from its beginning has the aim <Nuclear Free Region> and was aimed against <Three Nuclear Monsters>.

We tried to find more information about situation with nuclear energy and antinuclear movement in Japan.

Once an article at Bellona.ru / Bellona.org provoked an angry response from Hitachi-Europe PR office.

At one moment we decided to try to find support in Japan and with great assistance from <Green Action>, Japan several joint activities were organized.It was well received by the media when Japanese experts criticize Hitachi ABWR project and Japanese people opposed nuclear reactors export.

December 2011, a <Letter of Concern> against <export of hazardous nuclear technologies> from Japan to Lithuania. Letter was addressed to The Government of the Republic of Lithuania, The Government of Japan, Hitachi GE Nuclear Energy Ltd, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) 3 Lithuanian and 4 Japanese groups signed it.

<We demand to stop the implementation of the VisaginasNPP project and hereby request: ● to take fully into account the opinion of the citizens of Lithuania on further development ofthe nuclear energy in the country by calling a referendum or through other legal means;● the Government of Japan and the US Government to refrain from providing support for this project including financing through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, US Ex-Im Bank and other export credit facilities.We strongly reject any attempts to decide the future of entire nations of this region for generations to come by making secret deals between irresponsible governments and nuclear corporations behind the backs of the people.>

The letter was signed by:•Yuki Tanabe, Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES);•Eri Watanabe, Friends of the Earth Japan;•Hideyuki Ban, Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center;•Aileen Mioko Smith, Green Action;•Linas VAINIUS, on behalf of the Coalition of Lithuanian Environmental NGOs;•Tomas TOMILINAS, on behalf of the Lithuanian Farmers and People’s Party;•Gintaras SALDŽIŪNAS, on behalf of the Lithuanian Green Movement Party.

February 2012, a 2-persons rally in Tokyo at the day when Lithuanian Prime Minister Kubilius came here for negotiations with Hitachi and Government of Japan.

The rally receives a good media coverage in Lithuania – so sometimes even 2 persons can make a difference!

March 2012, a Skype press-conference for Lithuanian journalists, where experts from Japan (Yuki Tanabe, Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES), Eri Watanabe, Friends of the Earth Japan, Aileen Mioko Smith, Green Action) criticized Hitachi nuclear export plans.

As the result of these activities arguments against nuclear energy and critics of Hitachi ABWR reactor became known in Lithuania and helped the people take the right decision at a referendum.

A national referendum took place on October 14, 2012. People voted against any newnuclear reactor construction and against a pro-nuclear party.

62.68 % of turnout did not support the construction of a new nuclear power plant in the Republic of Lithuania.

The referendum is not direct, in other words, no text of law is specified.According to law, the Parliament must now take a decision on the issue of the referendum.

Parliament cannot make a decision opposite to the will of the voters. New Prime Minister confirms that.

So, Lithuania confirms its nuclear-free status.

Lithuania needs helpUnfortunately Hitachi does not give up and does not quit Visaginas nuclear project. That creates a bad image not only for Hitachi, but for Japan as well.

We need an international solidarity to stop the reactors expert from Japan.

Let.’ work together!