Opening the second unit of the Riga 2nd Cogeneration Plant in Acone, Salaspils Region, Latvenergo CEO Aris Zigurs said yesterday that it would increase the amount of electricity produced by Latvenergo to such a level that would be enough to completely cover Latvia's electricity consumption, informs LETA/Nozare.lv.

Press photo.

This is a historic moment, because Latvia has become self-reliant as Latvenergo can now produce enough power to cover the entire electricity consumption of Latvia, stressed Zigurs.

According to Latvenergo Website, the Acone plant is the largest thermal power station in Latvia, it opened in 1973. Reconstruction of the plant commenced in 2006. The first unit was reconstructed by the end of 2008, and the second unit was accepted into service this year.

A total of approximately EUR 626 million (LVL 440 million) has been invested in the project since 2006, including LVL 225 million invested in reconstruction of the second unit. Zigurs told the Nozare.lv business portal that Latvenergo hoped to return the investment in fifteen to twenty years.