Continuing the management efficiency improvements initiated under the supervision of the Ministry of Climate and Energy, the Supervisory Board of AS Augstsprieguma tīkls (AST) has approved a new resource optimisation plan. The plan includes reducing the number of Management Board members from five to four. To ensure effective management of functions within the new board structure, organisational adjustments are planned, taking into account the competences of board members and allocating areas of responsibility accordingly.

Upon evaluating the efficiency measures, it was concluded that further optimisation is possible within the legal, compliance, and support areas by merging several structural units and redistributing responsibilities and duties among the remaining board members and departments.

By the end of this year, several strategically important projects will be completed within the legal, compliance, and support area, including the completion of the synchronisation project from a legal perspective, critical infrastructure protection initiatives, and the implementation of a risk management system within the company. As the further work on these projects will mainly continue at the operational level, the Supervisory Board has decided to reassign the responsibilities of this area among the remaining four board members and the respective department directors. Following the implementation of the reform on 1 January 2026, Ilze Znotiņa will conclude her work as a member of the AST Management Board.

“AST has managed to maintain, and even slightly reduce, its operating costs while ensuring Latvia’s and the broader region’s energy reliability. This is evidenced by the transmission tariff proposal prepared by AST for the next three years. Cost optimisation has been driven by efficiency measures, including in the company’s strategic oversight and management, by reducing the number of board members. The Supervisory Board highly values the contribution of Ilze Znotiņa. Her expertise and professional experience have been invaluable in achieving the successful synchronisation of the Baltic power system with Europe — ensuring the termination of the BRELL agreement, meeting synchronisation requirements, implementing an EU-standard risk management system within the company, and justifying the continued need for EU funding to strengthen Latvia’s critical infrastructure. Ms. Znotiņa has also contributed to initiating potential efficiency improvements and strengthening the team to ensure that, even with a smaller board, AST maintains the high quality of its legal, compliance, and support processes,” said Olga Bogdanova, Chairperson of the AST Supervisory Board.

From 1 January 2026, the AST Management Board will continue its work in a four-member composition, comprising Rolands Irklis, Chairman of the Management Board, and Board Members Arnis Daugulis, Imants Zviedris, and Gatis Junghāns.

As part of the ongoing efficiency measures, the number of Supervisory Board members has also been reduced since 2025. While the company’s Articles of Association previously provided for five Supervisory Board members in 2024, AST has effectively performed Supervisory Board functions with four members. Amendments made to the Articles in 2025 further reduced the number of Supervisory Board members to three. In practice, the Supervisory Board is currently operating with two representatives.

In July 2025, AST submitted to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) a draft electricity transmission tariff for the next three years. AST’s total operating costs are expected to decrease by 0.7%, resulting in the most competitive transmission tariff in the Baltic region and, according to ENTSO-E data, maintaining one of the lowest transmission tariffs in Europe^*.

The tariff proposal, effective 1 January 2026, provides that household electricity transmission costs will remain unchanged, while AST customers with a typical consumption profile will see their costs decrease by an average of 9%, confirming the sustainable development of Latvia’s energy system without additional burden on consumers.

_{*Comparing transmission tariffs for lower voltage connections, Latvia currently ranks as having the 8th lowest tariff in Europe (ENTSO-E, 2023, pp. 12–13): https://www.entsoe.eu/news/2025/06/20/entso-e-publishes-its-annual-overview-of-transmission-tariffs-in-europe-for-2022-and-2023/}