VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTL #0384/01 3310906
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270905Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0247
INFO RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 0005
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0012
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0046
RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 0057
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0001
RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 0059

UNCLAS TALLINN 000384 
 
SIPDIS 
DEPARTMENT FOR S/CIEA 
DEPARTMENT FOR S/SECC 
DEPARTMENT FOR S/EEE 
DEPARTMENT FOR EEB/ESC 
DEPARTMENT FOR EEB/CBA 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/NB 
COMMERCE FOR ITA/DERSTINE 
ENERGY FOR PI/APICELLI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG ECON PGOV EINV EN
SUBJECT: USG HELPS BALTIC STATES FIND THEIR WAY TO CLEAN AND GREEN 
ENERGY 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Post and the Department of Energy organized the 
Baltic Clean and Green Energy Conference October 14-15 in Tallinn. 
The conference brought together more than 150 high level 
policymakers, energy technology experts, and industry leaders from 
around the region.  The discussions focused on leading-edge clean 
energy technologies, country-specific opportunities for 
diversification of energy resources and energy efficiency. On the 
sidelines of the conference, GE Energy's regional representative 
noted he does not believe Estonia will go through with building its 
own nuclear reactor, as the market is too small. GOE officials 
stated their appreciation for the cooperation from the USG and 
would like to follow up on the conference's success with a meeting, 
"perhaps in Latvia or Lithuania, since they need more help than 
us." END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
PRIME MINISTERS HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEAN ENERGY 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and Latvian Prime 
Minister Valdis Dombrovskis opened the conference by highlighting 
the progress the two countries have made in developing renewable 
energy and their plans for the future. PM Ansip underlined in his 
speech the importance of new energy technologies in creating 
sustainable economic growth and stated he looked forward to 
U.S.-Estonian cooperation on oil shale technology. He also 
discussed Estonia's plans to take part in the Lithuanian Visaginas 
nuclear power plant project, while analyzing the possibility of 
building a reactor in Estonia as well. 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) PM Dombrovskis noted that Latvia has the highest usage of 
renewable energy in the EU and is committed to raising that share 
from one-third currently to 40 percent by 2020.  The Latvian PM 
stressed that international cooperation on energy technology and 
policy is essential to reach a climate change agreement and that 
energy will be a top priority when Latvia chairs the Baltic Council 
of Ministers in 2010. 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) The U.S. delegation was led by DOE Deputy Assistant 
Secretary Alan Hegburg who highlighted U.S. views on global energy 
challenges. Other USG participants included representatives from 
the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National 
Laboratory, OPIC, the Department of Commerce and USTDA.  Other 
speakers included KPMG, AES, Foster Wheeler, GE Energy, the EBRD, 
Swedish Energy Agency, Riga Technical University, Estonian 
Parliament and the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The first 
day presentations mostly concerned finding suitable renewable 
energy technologies for the Baltic countries, especially in wind 
power and biomass, and on energy efficiency issues. The second day 
provided an overview of financing possibilities for clean energy 
projects and also touched on nuclear energy options in the Baltic 
area. The conference concluded with interactive break-out sessions 
to strategize sustainable energy futures in each of the Baltic 
states. 
 
 
 
GE: ESTONIAN MARKET TOO SMALL FOR NUCLEAR POWER 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) After giving a presentation on GE's renewable and clean 
energy activities, Ziemowit Iwanski, Central and Eastern Europe 
 
 
Country Executive for GE Energy, privately told EmbOffs that it is 
not feasible for Estonia to have its own nuclear plant as the 
market is too small, the cost will be too high and there is no 
existing know-how. However, the visit of GE Energy representatives 
to Estonia did generate media interest, particularly the statement 
by the head of GE Energy's Eastern European sales that the company 
is looking to enter the wind park market in Estonia and is planning 
to sign the first contract in a year's time. Westinghouse, which 
has been working closely with the state-owned power company Eesti 
Energia on nuclear power issues, was invited but did not attend the 
conference. 
 
 
 
FEEDBACK, FOLLOW-UP AND THANKS 
 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) Post received considerable appreciation for the conference 
from the GOE, NGOs and other embassies. Einari Kisel, Deputy 
Secretary General for Energy Policy in the Ministry of Economic and 
Communications Affairs, praised the conference as a "very valuable 
event" and suggested there should be a follow up meeting, "maybe in 
Latvia or Lithuania, since they need more help than us." 
Additionally, the Danish Embassy used the conference to make 
contacts and develop ideas for their November 11 renewable energy 
conference in Tallinn. 
 
 
 
¶7. (U) Post thanks DOE for putting together a very informative 
conference program with high-level speakers. Post also would like 
to thank counterparts in neighboring countries for developing 
invitee lists and promoting the conference outside of Estonia. 
DECKER