The United States and Lithuania have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to develop civil nuclear energy in the Baltic nation focused on deploying fourth-generation small modular reactors, or SMRs.
The pact, signed by U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and visiting Lithuanian Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys in Washington on Tuesday, is vital to U.S. efforts to advance nuclear energy as a clean, safe and dependable power source for its partners and allies, the U.S. Department of Energy said.
According to the department, the agreement, its first intergovernmental framework focusing on SMRs, will form a strategic U.S.-Lithuania partnership in the commercial civil nuclear sector.
European Power Grid
The strategic agreement between the two NATO countries supports Lithuania’s goals of achieving a net zero energy system by 2050 and pursuing the role of a regional energy exporter. Through the latter objective, Vilnius seeks to boost the Baltic states’ connection to the European power network as they unplug from the Russian electricity grid.
The United States will use the pact to promote its civil nuclear sector, technological leadership and competitiveness while pursuing high safety and security standards. This positions the agreement as a platform for the two sides to exchange nuclear safety and security expertise.
Nuclear Power Safety
Granholm stressed the U.S. commitment to work with Lithuania to advance national and regional security. “Safe, clean and reliable civil nuclear energy will be a critical component of Lithuania’s energy pathway,” she said in remarks announcing the collaboration.
Kreivys also noted the critical role cooperating with the U.S. would play as his country decides on the development of its next-generation nuclear power.
“Lithuania is particularly interested in the U.S. experience in developing next-generation nuclear power technologies, which could provide secure, safe and reliable supply of energy to meet the country’s growing energy needs and achieve climate neutrality goals,” the minister said.
Westinghouse is one U.S. company pursuing a nuclear new-build strategy in Europe. It is under a feasibility study contract of two AP1000 nuclear reactors at the Borssele Nuclear Power Station in the Netherlands. The company’s reactors offer the smallest footprint per megawatt of electricity on the market and have fully passive safety systems and a modular design.