Alvora, an energy construction company that built the strategically important Gas Interconnection Poland-Lithuania (GIPL), has failed to obtain clearance to build the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant’s near-surface repository, worth an estimated 100 million euros, for short-lived radioactive waste.
The contract between the winning bidder and the INPP has not been cleared by Lithuania’s governmental commission vetting transactions by strategic companies, the government’s press office confirmed to BNS.
At its meeting on August 24, the commission did not give the green light for the INPP to sign the contract, it said in a comment to BNS.
Alvora was named the winner of the tender, launched by the INPP in October 2022 for the fourth time, outbidding Panevezio Statybos Trestas.
Law-enforcement authorities are currently investigating whether Alvora, chosen as the GIPL contractor several years ago, used Russian-made parts in the pipeline project.
It is suspected that Alvora found several European companies and used their quality certificates to disguise the fact that certain compoments had been made by Russia’s ChelPipe and possibly already purchased by the Lithuanian company. Alvora denies the allegations.
The gas pipeline between Lithuania and Poland was launched in May 2022.
Based on an investigation carried out together with its partners from several countries, the 15min news website reported in June this year that Russian-made parts may have been installed in GIPL.
The governmental commission cleared the GIPL construction contract with Alvora in July 2019, but issued “very clear recommendations on measures to manage potential risks”. The company was at the time active in Belarus and Kaliningrad Region, where it had subsidiaries.
The INPP says that waste will be placed in the near surface repository throughout the decommissioning process until 2038. Afterward, the repository’s protection and environmental monitoring will continue for at least 100 years. The use of the site will be restricted for another 200 years.
The repository project is important to national security and its would-be contractor will have to be approved by the government.
Source: BNS
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