Lithuania Cuts Off Russian Gas Imports

Lithuania says it has Cut itself off entirely of Gas Imports from Russia, apparently becoming the First of the European Union's 27 Nations, using Russian Gas, to break its Energy Dependence upon Moscow.

“Seeking full energy independence from Russian gas, in response to Russia’s energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has completely abandoned Russian gas,” Lithuania’s Energy Ministry, said in a Sstatement late Saturday, adding that the Measure took effect on April 2nd.

Lithuania managed to Reduce Imports of Russian Gas to Zero, on Saturday, a move seen as a Milestone in achieving Energy Independence, in the former Soviet Republic of 2.8 million, the Ministry said.

“We are the first EU country among Gazprom’s supply countries to gain independence from Russian gas supplies, and this is the result of a multi-year coherent energy policy and timely infrastructure decisions,” Minister of Energy, Dainius Kreivys, said.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda posted an Upbeat Tweet on his Account and urged other European Nations to do the same.

“From this month on — no more Russian gas in Lithuania. Years ago, my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the aggressor. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too!" Nauseda tweeted.

In 2015, nearly 100% of Lithuania’s Gas supplies derived from Imports of Russian Gas, but the situation has changed drastically, over the past years after the Country built an Off-Shore LNG Import Terminal, launched in 2014, in the Port City of Klaipeda.

The Energy Ministry said, from now on all Gas for Lithuania’s Domestic Consumption would be Imported via Klaipeda’s LNG Terminal.

Last year, some 26% of Lithuania’s Gas Supplies derived from Deliveries, from a Russian Gas Pipeline while, 62% came via Klaipeda’s LNG Terminal, and the remaining 12% were imported from a Gas Storage in neighboring Latvia.

Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia, are also heavily Dependent on Russian Gas but the Operator of Latvia’s Natural Gas Storage said None of the Three Baltic States were Importing Russian Gas as of April 2nd.

Uldis Bariss, the CEO of Conexus Baltic Grid, told Latvian Media, on Saturday, that the Baltic Gas Market, was currently being served by Gas Reserves stored Underground in Latvia.

Last month, Lithuanian Prime Minister, Ingrida Simonyte, said Klaipeda’s LNG Terminal wouldn’t have enough Capacity to provide Gas for All the Three Baltic Countries.

As a solution, Estonia’s Government has proposed Building a LNG Terminal, jointly with Latvia and Nordic neighbor Finland, in the Estonian Port Town of Paldiski, which is Not far from the Capital, Tallinn.










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