"I can confirm that the Stockholm arbitration court has appointed Gopa of Germany to perform an independent expert assessment," told Nerijus Mikalajunas, spokesman for Vilniaus Energija (Vilnius Energy), a local subsidiary of France's Veolia.
He could not say when Gopa would start and complete its work and who would pay for it.
Mantas Burokas, CEO of Vilniaus Silumos Tinklai (Vilnius Heating Grid, or VST), told that the municipal company had not yet been informed about the arbitration court's decision.
He said earlier this month that court-appointed experts might still have enough time to carry out their assessment by the end of March when VST is to take over the heating grid from Veolia's subsidiary.
Vilniaus Energija, whose lease on the Lithuanian capital's heating grid expires in late March, asked the arbitration court to appoint an independent expert as it did not approve of experts chosen by VST.
Gopa advises on health, education, food, energy, management, human rights, economic development and green economy issues.
