Energetics
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, press briefing
Date: 2025-02-26 14:01
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 20
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 56m
AI Summaries: 20/20 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The discussion primarily focused on Estonian energy policy, potential uses for support mechanisms for offshore wind farms, and the €2.6 billion support package, the indexing of which the government and the Riigikogu are discussing. In addition, expected state aid rules, the impact of indexing on consumers, and the involvement of market participants were addressed, as was the white industry notification and its impact on industrial development and energy security. A substantive discussion encompassed both financial, economic, and technological aspects, including the need for grid connections, the impact of prices, and potential alternatives (onshore wind farms, a nuclear power plant special plan, new state aid approvals).
Decisions Made 1
Postponement or overestimation regarding the indexing of energy price indices is a rational step to achieve more precise and transparent calculations and to involve all parties. It was also decided to continue the development of mainland wind farms and to initiate a special development plan for the nuclear power plant, in order to create energy security and export potential. A new state aid permit is necessary, as well as refining the calculations in cooperation with market participants and institutions; simultaneously, the inclusion of various sources and public awareness must be considered.
Most Active Speaker
The most active representative was GdeZmpb9biU, representing the position of Prime Minister Kristen Michali / the government. Political technical category: other.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
First to speak will be Prime Minister Kristen Michal, and Riigikogu member Priit Sibul will ask about energy.
Priit Sibul
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Priit Sibul said that the government has paused the indexing of a 2.6-billion-euro support mechanism for offshore wind farms and asked who among market players demanded it and whether it will affect consumers' final costs and the granting of state aid approval.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
The Prime Minister stressed that in light of new European data and the White Paper on Clean Industry, decisions should be postponed or reviewed, and a consumer-friendly, security-providing and export-capable balanced energy package should be chosen, which promotes the growth of industries, onshore wind farms and the special planning of a nuclear power plant, and at the same time changes to state aid rules and the lowering of energy prices should be discussed for the sake of investment and market confidence.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman thanks the audience and asks Priit Sibul to pose a clarifying question.
Priit Sibul
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Priit Sibul accuses the government of presenting to the public a figure of 2.6 billion, for which there are no reasonable calculations and which he considers incorrect, and asks why it was pushed under the agreement of party leaders.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that energy prices have arisen largely due to accounting tricks, and they can be reduced if we increase renewable energy production and grid connections and make the basis of the calculations public, so that in an open debate it can be explained whether energy policy should be in favor of renewable energy or follow EKREIKE's ideological oil shale-based approach.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar thanks and asks Mart Maastikule to present an additional question.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik criticized the government's energy policy as "the end justifies the means," arguing that offshore wind farms are considerably more expensive than onshore wind farms, citing the Saaremaa project's total costs ranging from 2.6 billion to 3.5–4 billion, plus 1.3 billion for the transmission lines, compared with the Hiiumaa–Leisi 110 kV line and land connections at only 50–100 million and with four connections 200–300 million, and he asked why one offshore wind farm costs over five billion, requesting justification of the supposed cheapness.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that energy is not ideological but rational, and that the public disclosure of all calculations and debate is necessary, because keeping the old oil shale-fired plants costs 40–45 million per year to secure reserve capacity (approximately one billion over 20 years), but gas-fired plants and new interconnections, such as EstLink 2, can reduce peak prices, and in the future regional markets and nuclear energy solutions are possible.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman, Lauri Hussar, thanked the prime minister and announced that today's debate on the first question has ended.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Speaker Lauri Hussar directs the fourth question to Prime Minister Kristen Michal, posed by Riigikogu member Urmas Reinsalu, and the topic is energy.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu accuses the government of clumsy handling in the development of strategic energy infrastructure and demands a public explanation of at what level of government negotiations have been conducted for the offshore wind farm projects, which involve an increase of 2.6 billion through indexing.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that although the government has not held negotiations with market participants, there must be ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders in energy, to postpone decisions on the assessment of offshore wind farms and state aid rules, and to involve critics as well, and to continue developing onshore wind farms and a nuclear power plant, taking into account the changes arising from the European Union's Clean Industry Communication, which bring measures to lower energy prices, to ensure energy security and availability, and guidelines for investing in the power grids, and changes to the state aid framework.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair asked Urmas Reinsalu to pose a clarifying question.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu demanded a substantive answer and an explanation of who and on what basis submitted the indexing ideas in the context of state aid for offshore wind farms, what additional costs may arise from this, and with whom and which investors were consulted about it, and whether the topic was discussed in the cabinet last Thursday as well.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that indexing ideas are mechanisms proposed by market participants, which must be discussed and, if necessary, prices reviewed, and without a decision by Parliament a new law will not come into being, so the first step is onshore wind farms and at the same time a debate about a nuclear power plant will also be initiated.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, offers thanks, and his colleague Mart Maastik presents a supplementary question.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maastik compares two variants of an electricity connection: an onshore connection with Latvia, priced at about 350 million, versus an undersea cable connection with Latvia, priced at 1.3–2 billion, and notes that this difference, in his words, reflects ideology and the magic of numbers.
Peaminister Kristen Michal
AI Summary
When we talk about building connections, it must be done rationally and with sensible financing terms, ensuring low prices and supply reliability, and, if necessary, using European funding for critical interconnections, because even if someone wishes to avoid interconnections, they are necessary for people and prices show the need.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair thanks the audience and announces that the discussion of today's fourth question has ended.