Minister wants responsibility taken for green energy scandal

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Economics Minister Arvils Aseradens (Unity) has proposed assessing the responsibility of Andis Pinkulis, CEO of the Sadales Tikls distribution system operator, in connection with the allegations that some combined heat and power (cogeneration) plants might have obtained their green energy licenses by cheating.

Aseradens told journalists today that Sadales Tikls has to assume responsibility for the irregularities discovered at the cogeneration plants. Aseradens is also going to ask the supervisory board of Latvenergo power utility to assess Pinkulis’ responsibility for the violations.

“Pinkulis’ responsibility has to be assessed because the Economics Ministry’s findings suggest that these were not separate but systemic cases of green energy fraud,” Aseradens said.

In its report on the suspected green energy fraud, the Economics Ministry says that Sadales Tikls had misled the Economics Ministry about the cogeneration plants’ readiness to generate green energy.

On October 23, simultaneously with the Sadales Tikls commission, PricewaterhouseCoopers started an audit into the cogeneration plants’ suspicious operations.

Pinkulis said in an interview with LNT commercial TV channel this morning that Sadales Tikls has suspended four its employees over the scandal.

Rolands Lusveris quit the Sadales Tikls management board last week and has decided to stand down also as the company’s development director.

As reported, TV3 journalists have discovered that several companies that had failed to complete work on their energy projects still managed to keep their green energy licenses by providing power from portable generators during the tests carried out by Sadales Tikls power grid operator. If these companies are allowed to launch operations and sell electric power for an increased price as green energy it can cost consumers up to €100 million over the next decade. 

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