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I support the extended operation of the Ignalina nuclear power plant for a technically safe period of time, but no longer than until the completion of a new nuclear power plant. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Outcome | Proposal failed as less than 50% of registered voters voted in favour | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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A referendum on extending the operation of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant was held in Lithuania on 12 October 2008 alongside parliamentary elections. The country's government was obliged to close down Ignalina as part of its treaty of accession to the European Union. [1] [2]
The electorate were asked to vote on the statement: "I approve of the extension of operation of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant for a technically safe period, but not longer than completion of the construction of a new nuclear power plant." [3]
Although 91.4% of voters voted in favour of continuing the plant's operation, voter turnout was below the 50% threshold required to make the results valid.
Choice | Votes | % |
---|---|---|
For | 1,156,738 | 91.40 |
Against | 108,798 | 8.60 |
Invalid/blank votes | 40,289 | – |
Total | 1,305,825 | 100 |
Registered voters/turnout | 2,696,090 | 48.43 |
Source: Central Election Commission |
Visaginas is a town in northeastern Lithuania. It is the centre of Lithuania's youngest municipality, located on the north-eastern edge of the country. It was built as a town for workers engaged in the construction of the now decommissioned Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Visaginas is the only town in Lithuania where the majority of population speaks Russian as their first language. Originally the aerial view of Visaginas was designed to resemble a butterfly. However, after work on the nuclear power plant was cancelled, so was further construction of the town. Currently Visaginas consists of three residential regions that locals refer to as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Microdistricts. Visaginas has 14 streets. The city grew up in a pine forest by Lake Visaginas. Tourism is currently an area of great potential, as is the possibility of a new nuclear power plant.
The Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is a decommissioned two-unit RBMK-1500 nuclear power station in Visaginas Municipality, Lithuania. It was named after the nearby city of Ignalina. Due to the plant's similarities to the infamous Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in both reactor design and lack of a robust containment building, Lithuania agreed to close the plant as part of its agreement of accession to the European Union. Unit 1 was closed in December 2004; Unit 2, which accounted for 25% of Lithuania's electricity generating capacity and supplied about 70% of Lithuania's electrical demand, was closed on December 31, 2009. Proposals have been made to construct a new nuclear power plant at the site, but such plans have yet to come to fruition.
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