Lithuania will tonight shut down its single Soviet-era nuclear power plant - a facility which supplies up to 80 per cent of the country's electricity but must go as a condition of the country's membership of the European Union.

According to the BBC, the Ignalina plant in Visaginas opened 26 years ago, and critics of the closure say it's still good for another 10 to 15 years with a "minute" risk of an accident.

The EU is adamant, though, and is providing €820m to cover some of the decommissioning costs.

For Lithuania, the shut-down will mean higher electricity prices and dependency on Russia for much of its energy needs. ®

Related stories

• Obama to boost US nuclear power industry (1 February 2010)
• Comment Spain 'goes 50% wind powered' - in the small hours (10 November 2009)
• Windfarm Britain means (very) expensive electricity (22 July 2009)
• Exclusive Lights out, Britons told - we're running out of power (17 March 2009)