The Ministry of Climate and Energy (KEM) plans to commission an assessment of the possibilities for developing nuclear energy in Latvia for 1.425 million euros, according to information from the Procurement Monitoring Bureau (IUB).
KEM has published a notice on a supplier consultation for the procurement titled “Assessment of Nuclear Energy Development Opportunities in Latvia”, with the tender planned to be announced in February.
The technical specification available in the electronic procurement system states that the overarching goal of the assessment is to provide a comprehensive, data-driven analysis that would serve as a basis for policymaking and decision-making on the development of small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear energy in Latvia.
The winning bidder will be required to carry out an in-depth assessment of the feasibility of introducing SMR nuclear energy in Latvia, covering technical, legal, environmental, societal, financial, and economic aspects.
The contractor will also have to evaluate the existing regulatory framework and provide proposals
for improving the legal framework in the field of nuclear energy development and ensuring its compliance. This includes assessing the compatibility of Latvian legislation with international nuclear energy requirements and identifying the necessary amendments.
Accordingly, a report must be prepared identifying gaps and proposing what amendments to existing legislation or what new regulations need to be developed in a wide range of areas related to the introduction of nuclear energy. These areas include radiation protection; nuclear facility and nuclear material safety and security; emergency preparedness; nuclear fuel transport; spent nuclear fuel management; decommissioning; nuclear liability; implementation of control measures; import and export control of nuclear technologies; spatial planning and land use; construction; foreign investment; financial law and guarantees; environmental protection; occupational medicine; intellectual property protection; tax and customs law; the electricity market; the involvement of local governments and state institutions; stakeholder and public participation; international trade; as well as research and development.
The study must also include assessments of nuclear safety and radiation safety, nuclear power generation technologies, potential geographical locations and physical protection of a nuclear power plant (NPP), electricity grid development, availability and preparedness of human resources, environmental protection and potential impacts, radioactive waste management, stakeholder involvement, as well as a cost-benefit analysis of introducing nuclear energy in Latvia.
The contract performance period is one year.
Within one month of signing the contract, a detailed work plan must be prepared. Within three months, an assessment of the current situation must be completed, including analysis of the existing regulatory framework and institutional capacity, along with proposals for changes. Within eight months, a technical SMR assessment must be delivered, including the results of evaluations of related factors and impacts. Within ten months, an economic assessment must be prepared, including a cost-benefit analysis and proposals for a financing model. Within one year of contract signing, the final deliverable must be submitted, consolidating all of the above and including comprehensive proposals for the development of nuclear energy in Latvia.
Payment terms provide that 10% of the contract value will be paid for the first deliverable, 20% each for the second, third, and fourth deliverables, and 30% for the final deliverable.
As previously reported by LETA, in May 2025 the government instructed KEM to begin preparations for the initial phase of a nuclear energy program by the 1st of September, as well as to
assess cooperation opportunities with Estonia in the construction and operation of a nuclear power plant.
In November, KEM reported that it had contacted Estonia’s Ministry of Climate regarding Estonia’s planned activities related to nuclear energy development, including regulatory and supervisory preparations.
Estonia has launched several studies aimed at assessing the nuclear energy implementation aspects—referred to as infrastructure elements—set out in the International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines “Milestones in the Development of a National Infrastructure for Nuclear Power”, as part of the first, pre-project evaluation phase of its national nuclear energy program. These studies include assessments of radiation safety, nuclear safety and emergency preparedness, as well as existing and required legal frameworks, including issues related to the availability and preparedness of human resources for nuclear energy deployment in Estonia.
In July 2025, Estonia informed Latvia that it had launched the development of a national special spatial plan and a strategic environmental impact assessment for selecting a site for a nuclear power plant with a total capacity of 600 megawatts (MW), along with related infrastructure. The development of the national special spatial plan is envisaged in two stages: starting with site selection and preliminary environmental studies in 2026, and concluding with a detailed site and environmental impact assessment by 2029.
Latvia will participate in cross-border consultations on the development of this plan in line with the proposed timeline.
At the same time, KEM has also launched its own research and prepared the terms of reference for a comprehensive study on nuclear energy development opportunities in Latvia. In September 2025, KEM consulted with six Latvian and international consultancy firms on defining the scope of the study. As a result, the study is expected to assess the legal, technical, and economic aspects of the most suitable SMR technologies for Latvia, including necessary legislative amendments, the most appropriate locations from environmental and technical perspectives, and cost-benefit justification.
KEM has previously noted that preliminary calculations of levelized cost of energy (LCOE) indicate that an SMR-based nuclear power plant could compete in electricity price terms with other technologies. However, when the range of assessed factors is broadened to include production diversification, technology maturity, resource availability, and the availability and predictability of generating capacity development, the overall assessment of electricity generation technologies is not unequivocal, as each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses.
KEM also pointed out that, in Latvia’s case, a particularly important aspect is the management of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, as studies on establishing a geological repository in Latvia have not yet been carried out. If a nuclear power plant were to be built in Latvia, it would also be necessary to assess and, if required, establish facilities for the storage of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste.
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