Inquiry regarding energy supply reliability (no. 717)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-04-14 20:38
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 41
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 55m
AI Summaries: 41/41 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The third inquiry addressed Estonia’s energy supply reliability and its future. The authors of the questions were Mart Maastik, Riina Solman, and Helir-Valdor Seeder (no. 717, February 10, 2025). The main topic of the inquiry was why the energy development plan is not ready and what impact decisions have on the choice of energy sources, investments, and European Union funding. The content of the inquiry highlighted the critical need for a clear objective and noted that several decisions – including the continued subsidization of offshore wind farms – have been paused in recent history, creating uncertainty among entrepreneurs and investors. In the speeches, it was emphasized that energy security largely depends on controlled capacities and a national plan, not only on renewable sources, and the role of connections with the Baltic states and Finland was highlighted. Following the second part, the Minister of Energy and Environment, Andres Sutt, answered six questions and provided detailed economic and technical context, including numerical examples and forecasts.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made. Within the scope of the inquiry, answers were presented and various possibilities were discussed, but no specific formal decisions were confirmed.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Member of Parliament Andres Sutt (in the role of Minister of Energy and Environment). He took on a large part of the task of answering questions and clarifying details, presenting extensive numerical and analytical information, and explaining the connections between the discussed questions. Position: other.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Riigikogu is set to discuss today the third interpellation on the security of energy supply (No. 717), submitted by Mart Maastik, Riina Solman and Helir-Valdor Seeder on 10 February 2025; the rapporteur is Mart Maastik.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maastik stresses that Estonia lacks an energy-supply development plan, and for the state and for businesses there is a need for a clear, stable direction and to avoid the constant changing of decisions, because the current subsidization, pauses, and planning of major projects create uncertainty and can entail significant costs, often running into the billions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller said that there cannot be extra time here.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik says that depending on funding, costs may be 200–300 million, 100–150 million, or 300 million, compared with 650 million or the size of a billion, and since these explanations do not hold, he is awaiting the minister's answers to six questions to shed light on the situation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Arvo Aller asked the Minister of Energy and the Environment, Andres Sutt, to answer the interpellations.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
In his presentation, Andres Sutt described that to ensure Estonia's supply security it is necessary to have about 1000 MW of dispatchable capacity (an option of around 1250 MW with an emergency reserve), larger grid and interconnection investments, and a national strategic reserve from 2027 onwards, and he explained the forecast for the final price of electricity at about 15 euro cents per kilowatt-hour, and justified the continuation of low-bid auctions for onshore wind farms to increase domestic production and reduce dependence on imports.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller thanked them for the answers and noted that there are still questions, asking Rain Epler to take the floor.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler claims that the European Union invests in gas and the gas grid and does not meet climate targets, but the IEA recommends investing in oil and gas infrastructure, and Estonia has domestic energy production capacity and energy security — when will common sense finally prevail?
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
The presentation notes that gas-fired power plants are part of the solution to ensure dispatchable capacity, since there is no faster alternative visible at the moment. Elering is engaged in a low-bid auction; gas must be imported, but we have the capacity to use it. At the same time, the sun and wind are domestic, and oil shale is used for security of supply at about 1000 MW, but no new oil shale power plant is being built, because the investment would be in the billions and the lack of CO2 quotas creates additional costs.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Lauri Laats is asked to come on stage.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The focus of the presentation is energy security, where the threat of supply-chain disruptions (as during the COVID period) and dependence on China for the materials needed for solar and wind energy as well as for gas procurement are emphasized; the potential of mineral resources and oil shale for reducing environmental impact and lowering electricity prices is seen, but the 1000 MW reserve is on paper, and actual use depends on ensuring the precise implementation of the energy plan.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
To ensure supply security, Andres Sutt stressed, there is a need to immediately invest in gas-fired power plants, and until the oil shale power plants are in operation, they will fulfill their role; at the same time, as a long-term solution the deployment of nuclear energy is being discussed, and the importance of interconnections in the electrical grid is emphasized.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller invited Mart Maastik onto the stage.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maastik asked whether the price reflects Latvia's fourth connection via Saaremaa (up to 1.3–2 billion euros) and Finland's new connection (about a billion), and whether the costs of these investments have been accounted for in the price.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller expresses that it's your time, and thanks.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
According to Energy Minister Andres Sutti, Estonia plans to build Estlink 3 and the fourth Estonia–Latvia interconnection with two funding components (a congestion charge, and if 50% of the co-financing can be obtained from the CEF fund, we do not foresee any grid tariffs for the interconnection). Although the final price and route still need to be agreed and the special planning is in the consultation phase, the need for interconnections is fairly evident and their development could proceed synchronously if it is beneficial for Estonia, but everything will take time due to procurement and notification deadlines.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Helle-Moonika Helme to take the floor.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme claims that, from the beginning of February, maintaining the frequency of a power system desynchronised from Russia is very expensive in Estonia, and although disconnection seems to provide relief, it actually comes out of Estonians' pockets and increases the costs caused by low-inertia renewable energy production.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech says that it's time for you to take action.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
They warn that keeping the grid frequency is becoming increasingly expensive and difficult, and Estonia is on a path to disaster, and they ask whether we are still on the right track.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Energy and Environment Minister Andres Sutt said that desynchronization from Russia and synchronization with Continental Europe is the right path, and other examples are not really viable options, because if the choice had been to remain tied to Russia's frequency band, we would have had to pay for it, and this year's costs are covered by Elering so far until an agreement on the depreciation (amortization) model is reached.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller invites Evelin Poolametsa to perform.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Evelin Poolamets asks the minister how much dispatchable capacity should be in Estonia's energy portfolio, referring to the need not only to rely on renewable energy, and to the statement by Andrus Durejko, the CEO of Eesti Energia, that there should be more dispatchable capacities in Estonia.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
The quickest solution for increasing dispatchable capacity is to build additional gas-fired power plants. Elering has estimated the need at about 1000 MW currently and about 1200 MW from 2030 onwards. These parameters are in place, and as long as oil shale plants are kept in reserve, their use will enable the objective to be achieved. But in the future the amount of dispatchable capacity may change depending on electricity consumption and the scale of the capacities being created.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller offered a brief prayer, addressing Anti Poolamets.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets criticizes exaggerated planning of wind energy and doing large calculations, and asks why a nuclear power plant is necessary when money is being spent on wind farms and where that money comes from.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
So that by 2030 Estonia can cover 100% of the electricity consumed with solar and wind energy, Andres Sutt stressed the role of offshore wind and nuclear energy and highlighted the financing complexity, which requires various financing instruments, including the European Investment Bank, while at the same time accelerating onshore wind development and noting that, for example, the annual demand of a hyperscale data center may be around 4 TWh, with up to 400 additional wind turbines needed, for a total of around 600, and compared with the Netherlands this indicates an order-of-magnitude potential for development.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This speech is only Helir-Valdor Seeder's invitation to perform.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder asks the minister how much of the energy demand in 2030 will be met by locally produced energy in a situation where there is no sun and wind, and when will the energy sector development plan reach the Parliament chamber.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Andres Sutt asked two very valid questions, emphasizing that the goal of 100% renewable energy should be aligned with Estonia’s annual electricity consumption, and if that is, for example, 8 TWh, renewable sources must produce 8 TWh per year, not every hour or day, therefore other energy sources are also needed, and we currently import about 40%, and a precise date for the energy economy development plan will be provided in the future.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman thanks, announces that there are no further questions, opens the negotiations, and asks Mart Maastikut to speak as the representative of the inquirers.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maastik acknowledged that although they did not get any answers, he stressed that electricity price forecasts are uncertain, and the costs of the Saaremaa connection and Estlink 3 and their financing options could drastically affect prices, and due to the oversupply of renewable energy, negative prices arise with network constraints, and producers may not be able to cover with loans, therefore energy plans and financing must be reassessed in real terms.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speaker announces that three minutes of extra time will be given.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik emphasizes that a realistic development plan for the energy economy and a plan coordinated with the Baltic states are indispensable, because the current flawed planning and the over-dimensioning of wind and solar, together with the high price of CO2 quotas, threaten our economy and energy prices.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech emphasizes that it's your time.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The speech contains a word of thanks and announces that the next speaker is Evelin Poolamets.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Estonia's energy security depends primarily on the availability of controllable, domestic generation capacities and independence from external suppliers and the weather, therefore reliability of supply cannot be guaranteed by renewable energy or gas alone — about 1000 MW of controllable capacity is needed, which can be switched on or off as required, and to keep oil shale power plants in reserve or develop a nuclear power plant to ensure a continuous supply of electricity.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
In the speech, gratitude was expressed, and it was said that at the end of the negotiations the minister would also have the floor.
Energeetika- ja keskkonnaminister Andres Sutt
AI Summary
Energy and Environment Minister Andres Sutt emphasized that forecasts for 2035 must be professionally prepared and depend on assumptions, and that grid investments must be financed with co-financing, with decisions made in Estonia's interests to ensure supply security, where oil shale-fired power plants, gas-fired plants, and interconnections play an important role.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman ends the requests to speak, closes the negotiations, and announces that today's third interpellation has been dealt with.