Lithuania to Hold Referendum on New Nuclear Plant

Lithuania 's parliament on Monday called a referendum on plans for an atomic power plant to replace a Soviet-era facility closed under the terms of Lithuania 's entry into the European Union.

Sixty-two lawmakers voted in favor of the opposition party's proposal to hold the referendum, which will not be binding, in tandem with the Baltic state's general election on October 14, while 39 were against and 18 abstained.

"Visaginas nuclear power plant will be built on Lithuanian land, with increased danger, therefore we must ask the opinion of the Lithuanian people," said opposition Social Democrat Birute Vesaite.

Lithuania 's governing Conservatives opposed the referendum plan, accusing the opposition of simply seeking pre-election political gains.

The government won't be bound by the results of the referendum, but the vote may add uncertainty to the already-sluggish nuclear project which lacks strong support from the opposition parties who lead in the election polls.

At the end of 2009, Lithuania closed its only nuclear power plant, located near Visaginas in the northeast.

The shutdown was one of the terms of Lithuania 's 2004 admission to the European Union but its closure left the nation reliant on energy supplies from Russia , with whom it has rocky ties.

Last month, Lithuania 's parliament backed a deal with Japanese conglomerate Hitachi on a new plant at Visaginas.