The Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments to the By-Laws of the National Energy Crisis Centre (hereinafter referred to as the Centre) at the meeting of 10 January 2023, defining that in future the Minister of Climate and Energy will head the Centre.
Until now, the Centre has been headed by the Minister of Economics, while material and technical operations of the Secretariat of the Centre have been ensured by the Ministry of Economics. Considering the establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy (hereinafter referred to as MoCE) and the transition of the energy policy area to it from the Ministry of Economics, the management function of the Centre is transferred to MoCE.
According to amendments to the By-Laws of the Centre, the Minister of Climate and Energy was designated as its head, while in the absence of the Minister, the State Secretary of MoCE will ensure the management of the Centre. It is also expected that in the future material and technical operations of the Secretariat of the Centre will be ensured by MoCE and MoCE representatives will be included in the composition of the Secretariat of the Centre.
The National Energy Crisis Centre is a co-ordinating and consultative state institution, and its task is to lead crisis prevention measures and elimination of the consequences of the crisis during a declared national energy crisis or in the case of threats thereof. The Centre includes representatives from the Ministry of Climate and Energy, Ministry of Economics, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments, the Public Utilities Commission, Joint Stock Company “Augstsprieguma tīkls”, Joint Stock Company “Latvenergo”, Joint Stock Company “Gaso”, Joint Stock Company “Rīgas Siltums”, Joint Stock Company “Sadales tīkls”, the Joint Stock Company “Conexus Baltic Grid”, the National Armed Forces and the Latvian Association of Fuel Traders.