Influence of Power Supply Reliability to the Balanced Growth of Economics

Abstract

Lithuanian sector of energetics is one of the most important in the country according to its significance, the number of employees (approximately 14 % of industrial workers), the total value of the lasting property of energy enterprises (about 25% of all the profit of the country) and the expenditures allocated for the purchase of the energy resources. Energetics embraces the closely related energy sectors (electric power, centralized heat supply, oil, natural gas, coal and local fuel, and renewable energy sources), that comprises the whole of enterprises and facilities for the production, transformation, transfer, distribution and utilization of various energy resources. The extensive energy sector oriented to the great, ineffective use of electric power and oil products, and rather significant export has been inherited from the past. It does not comply with the modern requirements with its main characteristics (effectiveness, management principles, structure, etc.). Thus the primary attention of the state policy recently has been given to the reorganization and privatization of the energy sector and the implementation of the directives of the European Union (the EU). The reliability of the electric power supply (safety), one of the most important factors stipulating the balanced growth of Lithuanian economics, is understood as the formation of the foreseeable and competitive market; the integration of the gas and electricity network; the improvement of physical protection of the infrastructure of energetics (from the terrorist attacks, catastrophes, and the risks of political character); preparation of the mechanism of the state solidarity of the Baltic region and the introduction of common standards of the infrastructure protection standards and means; the variety of the energy sources and reduction of the dependence on the import of the energy resources; Lithuanian national system of energetics cannot be developed separately from the energetic systems of other two Baltic states (Latvia and Estonia). Logically the approach to this issue should be discussed in all Baltic countries, the contentious points should be solved, the principal strategic solutions should be accepted and the common document (The Energetic Strategy of the Baltic States) should be prepared. Elucidation of the abbreviations used in the text: Σ – sum, mln. – million, bln. – billion, tne – ton of the Standard equivalent of the oil fuel, MW – million of watts (megawatts), kWh – one thousand of kilowatt-hours, TWh – trillion of tetra watt-hours, Gm3 – billion of cubic metres, UCTE – Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity, kgne – one thousand tons of conventional fuel (oil equivalent), BVP – Gross domestic product, ECU – European Currency Unit, AE – atomic power station.