( dpa ) - Economy ministers from Poland and the three Baltic states are expected to meet next week to discuss delayed plans to construct a new nuclear power plant.
The three Baltic EU countries hope to link up their electric grids to Poland's and construct a new Ignalina Power Plant in Lithuania to offset the region's dependence on Russian energy sources.
However, the project has been bogged down with delays less than two years before the existing power plant in north-eastern Lithuania was supposed to be shut down, leaving the region dependent on Russia for its energy.
Lithuania is also hoping to receive approval from the European Union to extend the life of the existing power plant beyond 2009 when it is due to shut down.
On February 4, the ministers from the four countries will talk about the nuclear plant and two power bridges at the meeting in Vilnius, according to a statement from Latvia's ministry of economy.
They are also expected to sign an agreement confirming their interest in the project.
Lithuanian parliament on Friday approved the creation of a merged national power company with the ability to raise money for Lithuania's share of the new nuclear power plant. Now the legislation goes before President Valdas Adamkus for his signature.
Construction of the nuclear power plant at Ignalina has been plagued by delays. Poland demanded a third of the power plant's capacity, even though it is one of the four partners in the project. Latvia and Estonia have been irritated by the delays.
Known as a "power bridge," the 300-million-euro link between Poland and Lithuania and another link between Sweden and Lithuania serve as the crucial part of a project to build the new Ignalina nuclear power plant.
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland are planning to build a 3,200 to 3,400-megawatt-capacity nuclear power plant near the existing one in Ignalina.
The three Baltic EU countries share only one link with the bloc's energy market through a cable between Estonia and Finland on the bottom of the Gulf of Finland.
Lithuania must shut down Ignalina at the end of 2009 as part of an agreement with the EU, which the four countries joined in 2004. The 27-bloc wants to shut down the existing plant because it has the same reactors as the one that blew up at Chernobyl in 1986.
Sweden's economy minister, Maud Olofsson, will visit Vilnius on February 5 and 6. Diversification of power sources and reduction of its dependence on Russia for energy involves Lithuania building power links to Sweden and Poland.