Lithuania became a nuclear-free country after shutting down its two RBMK reactors at Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in 2004 and 2009 due to EU safety standards. There was an attempt to build a new nuclear power plant called Visaginas with support from the Lithuanian government and Hitachi. However, antinuclear campaigns organized protests and educational activities which increased opposition. A 2012 referendum showed 62.68% opposition to new nuclear construction in Lithuania, confirming its nuclear-free status.

1. How Lithuania became a
nuclear-free country
Andrey Ozharovskiy,
Nuclear Expert with Bellona.ru / Bellona.org
idc.moscow@gmail.com

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

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

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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Lithuanian government and Prime Minister Kubilius
supported nuclear project.

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

11. 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).

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

13. There were rallies, press-conferences, petitions, etc.
<Future without atoms> - demonstration in Vilnius on
Chernobyl Day.

14. 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.

15. 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.

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

17. 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>.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. <We demand to stop the implementation of the Visaginas
NPP project and hereby request:
● to take fully into account the opinion of the citizens of
Lithuania on further development of
the 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.>

22. 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.

23. 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.

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

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. A national referendum took place on October 14,
2012. People voted against any new
nuclear 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.

28. 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.

29. So, Lithuania confirms its nuclear-free
status.

30. Lithuania needs help
Unfortunately 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!