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| Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05VILNIUS289 | 2005-03-18 14:31:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Vilnius |
Cable title:
AMBASSADOR VISITS LITHUANIA'S REACTOR, DISCUSSES
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1. Ambassador Mull made a day-long tour of northeastern Lithuania on March 16. During his visit, he heard concerns from local mayors about the lack of local employment opportunities to absorb the large (3,500) Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) reactor workforce once the only remaining functional INPP unit goes offline by 2009. The INPP Director assured the Ambassador decommissioning was on track and all nuclear materials were safeguarded, but inquired about the possibility of USG assistance to facilitate decommissioning efforts. The Ambassador met with a group of bright students at Lithuania's leading business and vocational school who impressed him with their fluent English, demonstrating the transformation underway in even the most rural reaches of the country. End Summary. -------------------------- INPP DECOMMISSIONING ON TRACK -------------------------- 2. The latest chapter in the Ambassador's travel program took him to the economically depressed northeastern Lithuania on March 16. He got a tour d'horizon of current issues facing the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) by INPP General Director Victor Shevaldin. INPP decommissioned its first unit in 2004, and is preparing to shut down the second one by 2009. As part of decommissioning, Shevaldin said INPP had concluded a contract for the construction of a new spent fuel facility. He anticipated that Unit 1's dismantling would begin by 2012 following the transfer of all spent fuel to the new facility. Assuring the Ambassador that INPP management would make every effort to ensure that decommissioning proceeds without incident, Shevaldin inquired whether any USG assistance may be forthcoming to support this effort. (Shevaldin said MOE had written to USDOE approximately two weeks ago requesting USG assistance with decommissioning. We understand that USDOE is unlikely to support the GOL request). 3. Ambassador Mull complimented Shevaldin on his successful management of INPP, observing that it is Lithuania's most strategic site, supplying 80 percent of the country's electricity needs. Shevaldin said INPP had not experienced any problems with its supply of nuclear fuel from Russia, the only country where it is available, noting that the fuel arrives by rail in casks sealed with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seals, under the watchful eye of Russian and Lithuanian security. Following their discussions, Shevaldin took the Ambassador on a tour of INPP's impressive facilities, where he was able to get a first-hand look at the fuel assemblies, electricity-generating turbines, and the control room outfitted with USDOE-funded computer security upgrades. -------------------------- ALTERNATIVE WORK NEEDED FOR INPP WORKFORCE -------------------------- 4. The Ambassador had productive meetings with the mayors of the two cities likely to suffer most from the reactors' closure. Mayor Bronius Rope of Ignalina noted that there is a paucity of local investments in his city. Following INPP Unit II's closure, he would like to see alternative employment opportunities created for the large 3,500-member reactor workforce in alternative industries, such as rural tourism and natural resources (wood, sand, clay and rubber). He agreed with the Ambassador's observation of the importance of reducing the gap between rural and urban Lithuania, noting a lack of doctors, teachers and other specialists in rural areas. In Visaginas, where 70 percent of the population works at INPP, Mayor Vytautas Rackauskas noted similar concerns, sharing with the Ambassador his vision of opening an information technology-based industrial park in his city. He informed the Ambassador that Visaginas draws strength from its 46 nationalities, and he accepted the Ambassador's offer to consider local officials for future USG-sponsored exchange programs. -------------------------- -------------------------- BRIGHT STUDENTS EMBODY LITHUANIA'S TRANSFORMATION -------------------------- -------------------------- 5. Ambassador Mull fielded a wide range of questions from students at the Visaginas Business and Technology Education and Training Center, Lithuania's leading vocational training school, that has used EU funding to build a strong base in distance learning and technology-based education. In fluent English, the students asked him about travel to the United States, U.S.-Lithuanian exchange programs, potential partnerships for their Center with U.S. institutions, foreign investment, INPP decommissioning, and future U.S.-Lithuanian cooperation. The Ambassador said he sets the highest priority on attracting more U.S. investment to Lithuania, and told the students he would try and help their Center find an American partner. This forward-looking school is a bright spot in an otherwise dreary rural landscape, and serves as an example of how the country is transforming itself, even in rural areas. -------------------------- COMMENT -------------------------- 6. Ambassador Mull's visit to northeastern Lithuania is part of a Mission effort to get out of Vilnius and reach out to citizens in different parts of this diverse land, learn more about their concerns, and show them that America cares about them, too. This trip offered valuable insights into the needs of two cities struggling to cope with the impending closure of their largest employer. It also confirmed that decommissioning at the Ignalina nuclear plant is proceeding in an orderly manner. Mull |