Data-center law in Latvia
National jurisdiction · as of 2026-09-06
Latvia has no data-center-specific siting, permitting, or utility statute.
A large electricity consumer, the category a data center's own connection would fall into, applies under the Elektroenerģijas tirgus likums (Electricity Market Law) for a special transmission-system connection, or an increase in an existing connection's capacity, once its consumption would grow by at least 100,000 megawatt-hours a year or its connection's nominal capacity reaches at least 50 megawatts; the Cabinet of Ministers sets uniform rules for that application, and the system operator may refuse a connection for insufficient network capacity, in writing, within 30 days.
The general environmental impact assessment law, 'Par ietekmes uz vidi novērtējumu', requires a full assessment for a thermal or other combustion installation of 100 megawatts or more and an initial screening for one exceeding 50 megawatts, most recently amended with effect from 1 July 2026, but carries no line item naming a data center specifically.
01
Instruments on record
2 instruments on record, grouped by the family of approval each one governs.
Environmental review
What impact review must precede approval, and who leads it?
Likums 'Par ietekmes uz vidi novērtējumu' Annexes 1-2, Environmental Impact Assessment for Large Power and Heat Generation Installations
In force
Likums 'Par ietekmes uz vidi novērtējumu', 1. pielikuma 2. punkts un 2. pielikuma 3. punkta 1. apakšpunkts
Effective 2026-07-01 · Applies to both
A full environmental impact assessment is required for a thermal power plant or other combustion installation with a capacity of 100 megawatts or more, per item 2 of Annex 1. A lighter initial screening applies to industrial equipment for producing electricity, steam, or hot water where the input thermal capacity exceeds 50 megawatts, per item 3(1) of Annex 2. Both annexes were most recently amended with effect from 1 July 2026.
Source: Full text of law
Energy and grid
What authorizations govern grid connection and onsite generation?
Elektroenerģijas tirgus likums Articles 9 and 9.1, Large-Load Grid Connection and Capacity Reservation
In force
Elektroenerģijas tirgus likums, 9. un 9.1 pants
Effective 2025-04-24 · Applies to both
An end-user may apply, under Cabinet of Ministers procedure, for a special connection to the transmission system or an increase of an existing transmission-system connection's capacity where its electricity consumption after connection will grow by at least 100,000 megawatt-hours a year or the connection's nominal capacity is at least 50 megawatts. The Cabinet sets uniform special-connection rules covering the application, review, connection procedure, and required guarantees.
The system operator has an ongoing obligation to provide a connection to a system participant meeting the operator's technical requirements, under regulator-issued connection rules, but may refuse a connection where the network's capacity is insufficient, giving written reasons within 30 business days.
An electricity end-user, other than a distribution system operator, pays the transmission system operator a security deposit to reserve system capacity when a new end-user facility is planned for connection to the transmission system, refunded once the facility is connected unless the failure to connect is not the operator's fault.
Source: Full text of law
Every entry cites the instrument it describes.
None of it is legal advice: verify a citation before relying on it. Full
sourcing: read the methodology. The rest of the
record: all jurisdictions.