News & events

2013-01-28

Lithuania seeing a decrease in electricity imported from Russia, increase from Estonia

10.6 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity were consumed in Lithuania in 2012, in comparison to 10.4 TWh in 2011. 6.6 TWh of electricity were imported into Lithuania in 2012, i.e. 63% of the country's total consumption. In 2011, 6.74 TWh of electricity were imported, accounting for 65% of total consumption.
 
In the past year, import of Russian electricity decreased by 13%. 4.8 TWh of electricity – or 45% of the country's total consumption – was imported to Lithuania from Russia in 2012. This figure was larger in 2011: 5.54 TWh, or 53% of the total electricity consumption. In 2012, import of electricity from Estonia grew by more than one third (36%): 1.47 TWh of electricity was imported from Estonia in 2012, in comparison to 1.1 TWh in 2011.
 
“Competition between market players encourages them to look around for cheaper electricity, and the electricity market that is in operation allows for the acquisition of electricity from vendors in various countries. This indicates that market players are taking advantage of the benefits of the common Baltic electricity market,” – states Virgilijus Poderys.
 
Lithuania is currently involved in direct trade with Estonia, Latvia, Russia and Belarus. The increased amount of electricity imported to Lithuania from Estonia was due to the cheaper supply of Scandinavian electricity that prevailed in spring and summer. Electricity acquired in Nordic markets reaches the Baltic countries via Estlink, which is currently the only interconnection in operation.
 
Full-fledged integration of the Baltic and Nordic electricity market will be ensured by the launch of the 700 MW NordBalt interconnection between Lithuania and Sweden in 2015. Estlink 2 – a second 650-megawatt (MW) interconnection between Estonia and Finland – is also under construction.
 
Changes in the electricity market are influenced by the common Baltic electricity market that is being created. A Lithuanian bidding area was opened at Nord Pool Spot – the Nordic power exchange – on June 18, 2012; a Latvian bidding area is planned to be opened in June, 2013.



1 terawatt-hour (TWh) equals one billion kilowatt-hours.