Report: Estonia, Latvia plan duties for Russian power import

TALLIN, May 7 (PRIME) -- Estonia and Latvia plan to impose duties on power imports from Russia in September–November, Estonian television and radio broadcasting company ERR said on its website on Tuesday quoting an official in the Estonian Economic Affairs and Communications Ministry.

Russian power comes to Estonia through Lithuania, and it is almost 50% cheaper than power produced by local company Eesti Energia because of the taxes that the company has to pay. This autumn, Belarus and Lithuania are to stop trade in power, but Russian power will continue coming to Lithuania through Latvia, ERR said.

“Regarding the customs protection, it lies in the competence of the E.U. and the European Commission, the E.U. states cannot set it up on their own. But we’ve agreed with the Lithuanians that we will impose an infrastructure tariff tentatively this fall,” Timo Tatar, deputy secretary general for energy at the Economic Affairs and Communications Ministry of Estonia, said as quoted by ERR.

Taavi Veskimagi, managing director Estonian electric power transmission system operator Elering, said that the tariff is based on the costs of imports of Russian power, and may soften competition, ERR said.

Finland has been using a similar tariff on Russian power for many years, ERR said.

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