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Friday, 29.03.2024, 02:50
Work group not to agree on liquidation of MPC system but work on renewing sector's reputation - expert
Economics Minister Arvils Aseradens' (Unity) spokeswoman Agita
Baltbarde told that the work group met on July 26, while next week – on
August 1 – the work group will adopt its final report with proposals on the
future of the MPC system.
She said that the recent meeting discussed several scenarios of the MPC
future, but she did not elaborate on the topic.
Ozolins said that the work group has not agreed on any particular
solution, discussions will be held also during the last meeting. At the same
time, he was confident that the work group will not recommend to abolish the
MPC system, but will rather present a number of proposals on its improvement.
The expert said that the work group will not come up with just one
solution, but rather with a complex of measures that will renew the reputation
of the green energy sector.
Ozolins said that the work group member agree that the green energy
should be subsidized also in the future. "Unfortunately, the Economics
Ministry now is not hearing the work group's proposals," the expert said.
As reported, the ruling coalition parties have supported the proposal on
setting up a high-level work group that will have to prepare an action plan for
liquidation of MPC by August 1.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the Economics Ministry's proposals
for tightening oversight of the energy producers to prevent any MPC-related
fraud.
Following the allegations of possible fraud at several cogeneration
plants, the Economics Ministry conducted inspections at several companies and
found that they were not generating any power. Most probably, the power plants
had been turned on just for the necessary 72-hour test period to get their MPC
licenses approved. The Latvian Economics Ministry so far has annulled licenses
to a total of 21 heat-and power (cogeneration) plants.
MPC is a part of the electricity price used to subsidize green energy
producers which, on one hand, has increased the electricity costs for end-users
and, on the other hand, has been widely abused by fraudulent energy producers.