Minister of Energy Žygimantas Vaičiūnas met US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright in Washington. During the meeting, the possibilities of strengthening cooperation were discussed, paying special attention to the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG), technologies for the development of clean energy, including nuclear energy, and the protection of critical energy infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region.
Lithuania buys LNG mainly from the US
“We see great potential for even wider and more intensive cooperation. LNG imports from the USA through the Klaipėda LNG terminal could be increased to the maximum possible quantity, ensuring the needs of the entire region. Another intended use of the Klaipėda LNG terminal is to contribute to the satisfaction of Ukraine’s gas supply needs by using the terminal’s capacities and the GIPL gas interconnection between Lithuania and Poland,” said Minister Vaičiūnas.
Lithuania was one of the first European countries to start importing LNG from the United States in 2017. In 2024, a total of 24 TWh of gas or 24 LNG cargoes were imported through the Klaipėda LNG terminal. Most LNG is imported from the United States and Norway.
A lot of attention was also paid to the security of critical energy infrastructure. The Baltic States and Poland are ready to become a model for the protection and resilience of the EU’s infrastructure, which could be applied in other regions in cooperation with NATO.
Lithuania is interested in US SMR technology
The Minister of Energy and the U.S. Secretary of Energy also discussed the possibility of using small modular reactors (SMR) in Lithuania. During the visit, Minister Vaičiūnas also visited the Nuclear Energy Institute and met SMR developers.