Lithuania allocates EUR 10 million for removal of LPG cylinders from apartment buildings

Apartment residents are encouraged to switch to alternative energy sources

For a second year running, the Lithuanian government is helping residents of multi-storey apartment buildings to remove liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders from their homes and replace them with alternative energy sources. To this end, the Ministry of Energy has allocated additional EUR 10 million, with support for one household reaching EUR 726. Currently, according to Ministry data, there are still about 1,500 apartment buildings across Lithuania, where gas cylinders are used for cooking.

Heavy, rusty and dangerous

"Gas cylinders in apartment buildings pose a danger not only to the people who use them, but also to everyone around them. In order to increase their safety, for the second year in a row, the state is providing support to residents who give up the use of gas cylinders in households and replace them with safer energy sources,” says Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys, quoted by public broadcaster LRT.

One apartment may be entitled to a support of up to EUR 726 (VAT included), or EUR 242 for any of the three options: reconstruction of the central electrical or gas supply system of the entire building; renovation of the electrical or gas system of individual apartments; or the purchase of an electric or gas stove. Reimbursement of some expenses by the apartment building management related to the systems reconstruction is also envisaged.

Applications accepted until 1 June

Residents and administrators of apartment buildings where gas cylinders are still in use are invited to prepare funding applications and submit them from 26 February until 1 June, 2021. The Energy Ministry assures that all applications will be evaluated immediately after submission, so the projects will be implemented faster.

The Minister's order also reduces the administrative burden, waiving the mediation of the distribution network operator (ESO) in collecting applications and payment messages from apartment building representatives. It is planned that the State Energy Regulatory Council (VERT), in cooperation with municipalities and representatives of apartment buildings, will review and, if necessary, update the lists of apartment buildings from which gas cylinders must be removed by 26 February this year. According to the Ministry of Energy, almost EUR 4.5 million were handed out last year to apartment building residents who got rid of their unsafe LPG cylinders.