“Without doubt, we expect (to persuade them on the importance of the support). We are working to demonstrate our progress in the decommissioning projects,” Ina Daukšienė, spokeswoman for the Ignalina NPP, told BNS.
On Thursday, Ignalina is hosting a visit by a five-member MEP delegation headed by Ingeborga Grassle of Germany. The group includes Lithuanian Social Democratic MEP Zigmantas Balčytis and former Ignalina mayor Bronis Ropė of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union.
Lithuania’s government aims to secure further EU funding for the Ignalina decommissioning projects. According to calculations by the Energy Ministry, the closure will cost another nearly 1.6 billion euros, with Lithuania expecting to get the largest share from the EU.
Decommissioning of the Ignalina NPP has received 450.8 million euros from the EU budget in 2014-2020 and 837.4 million euros in 2007-2013.
The power utility was brought to full stop at the end of 2009, with decommissioning work projected to last until 2038.