Energy, EU – Baltic States, Gas, Latvia, Legislation, USA

Photo: em.gov.lv

The minister agreed to expand cooperation with Latvia's strategic partner – the U.S. government, as well as informed about legislation initiatives which are currently being pushed forward by the Cabinet of Ministers and Saeima.

During her visit to the U.S. last week, Reizniece-Ozola meet with high-ranking U.S. officials and energy sector representatives and discussed a number of energy security matters important to Latvia, including the establishment of the European Energy Union, liberalization of Latvia's gas market in 2017 and diversification of gas supplies, as well as attracting investments to the energy sector.

During the visit, Reizniece-Ozola had meetings with the U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews, and Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Amos Hochstein, as well as Congressmen Ted Poe and John Shimkus, and Senator John Barrasso.

The economy minister also had several meetings with top U.S. oil and gas business representatives in Houston, during which they expressed their interest in supplying energy resources to the EU and Latvia.

Already by the end of this year, the U.S. company Chenerie Energy will begin its first shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to world markets. Furthermore, various major LNG infrastructure projects are scheduled to be completed in the United States in the upcoming years, after which the U.S.-side will be able to export energy supplies to global markets in substantially larger volumes.

''In 2017, when we open-up our gas market, we must be confident of having safe, stable and beneficial gas suppliers, which will ensure us competitive prices. The U.S. is a strategic partner of Latvia, that is why it is very important to expand cooperation in such an important area for the security of our region – energy,'' she emphasized.

During her visit, Reizniece-Ozola also visited to Chenerie Energy terminal in Louisiana, which is expected to begin work later this year.

At the same time, also during her visit, the minister discussed with U.S. representatives the exchange of visits by U.S. and Latvian energy experts, as well as the organization of a U.S. business mission in the near future.