Arvils Ašeradens suggests nuclear energy for Latvia

Arvils Ašeradens, a member of the Saeima and prime ministerial candidate for New Unity, stated that Latvia may need to adopt nuclear energy to address growing electricity demands. He noted that the Baltic states currently face an electricity deficit of approximately 20% to 30%, necessitating energy imports that drive up prices and hinder industrial growth.

Ašeradens suggested that small-scale modular nuclear power plants might be more suitable for the Baltic region than large-scale facilities. While acknowledging that such technology is currently too expensive, he anticipates more viable solutions will emerge in the future.

The increasing demand is driven largely by the rapid expansion of data centers. Ašeradens pointed out that many data centers serving the Baltic region are located in Helsinki to take advantage of Finland’s access to nuclear energy. He also identified securing public acceptance for potential nuclear sites as a significant challenge for future implementation.