Energy giants warn against nuclear tax
GERMANY - Germany's largest energy companies have lashed out at the government about controversial plans to introduce a nuclear tax that will cost billions of euros each year.
Both E.ON AG and RWE AG have warned the government that the potential fuel-rod tax, which will cost energy companies 2.3 billion euros US $2.95 billion a year until 2014, will result in reduced investment in renewable energy and smart grid projects.
Nuclear plants account for more than a quarter of Germany's electricity generation, but all of the country's plants are scheduled for closure by 2021 unless an agreement to extend their lifespans can be made.
Speaking at the release of the company's half-year financial results, E.ON CEO Johannes Teyssen expressed concern at the government's lack of a clear energy policy and its plans to introduce the nuclear tax.
"There has long been a lack of clarity about the direction of Germany's energy-policy," he said. "This needs to change. As the federal government stated, Germany needs a non-ideological, technology-neutral, and market-based energy strategy that includes an environmentally and economically sensible decision on the future of nuclear energy in this country. Only then will Germany make a real start towards its energy future.
"Ten months later what we are seeing is that there still no clarity about the clear direction of German energy policy and thus no clarity about the future of nuclear power in Germany either." Teyssen argued that nuclear energy is vital to Germany's economic and success and energy security and would continue to hold this position "if our highly secure and reliable nuclear power plants were allowed to operate as long as is usually the case in many other countries. In this regard, we are prepared to share the benefit of a lifetime extension. But, any benefit sharing must be balanced. I explicitly warn of charges of such a magnitude that the operation of nuclear power plants could become uneconomic. Germany's proposed nuclear tax would be such a negative and unacceptable charge."
Last October, it looked likely that Germany's government was going to extend the life of older nuclear plants to avoid a looming energy crisis.
E.ON's warnings have been echoed by RWE CEO Juergen Grossmann, who said: "In a generally uncertain environment in the energy industry, RWE is confronted not only with the German government's plans to introduce a nuclear fuel tax, but also with continuing uncertainty about the announced energy concept. For this reason, the Group now has to review its medium-term goals up to and including 2013. Such a tax would substantially diminish our earnings power — and thus our financial scope for investment in renewables, low-carbon power stations and smart grids."
Grossmann called on the government to clarify its nuclear position.
Related News

Electricity deal clinches $100M bitcoin mining operation in Medicine Hat
TORONTO - The City of Medicine Hat has agreed to supply electricity and lease land to a Toronto-based cryptocurrency mining company in a deal that will see $100 million in construction spending in the southern Alberta city.
The city will provide electric energy capacity of about 42 megawatts to Hut 8 Mining Corp., which will construct bitcoin mining facilities near the city's new Unit 16 power plant.
The operation is expected to be running by September and will triple the company's operating power to 60.7 megawatts, Hut 8 said.
#google#
"The signing of the electricity supply agreement and the land lease represents a key component…