RIGA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Latvian lawmakers on Thursday passed amendments to the energy law, introducing regulations for district cooling and the supply of cold energy used for refrigeration and air conditioning.
The adopted amendments added a new section to the energy law regulating cold energy services. The law also introduced a registration requirement for producers and traders of cold energy, with the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission responsible for maintaining the register.
The bill, drafted by the Climate and Energy Ministry, aims to transpose European Union (EU) directives, including provisions on support schemes for bioenergy and clarifications on the issuance of certificates of origin for renewable gaseous fuels.
According to the ministry, the new EU requirements impose a growing number of obligations on district cooling service providers, largely aligning them with existing district heating regulations.
Latvia currently lacks legislation governing district cooling, and there are no centralized cold supply systems in place. However, such systems may be developed in the future, said the ministry. Drawing on the experience of other EU countries, the service is typically delivered by major district heating providers, mainly energy utilities. ■
