Electrabel opposes possible tax hike

Monday, 7 March 2011 [De Tijd, 5 March] Belgian nuclear operator Electrabel, part of the GDF-Suez group, will oppose any increase in the tax already levied on nuclear power by the Belgian government, Electrabel chief Sophie Dutordoir told Belgium's De Tijd newspaper. Belgian energy regulator CREG (Commissie voor de Regulering van de Elektriciteit en het Gas) has called for an increase in the €250 million ($350 million) charge levied by the government on Belgian nuclear generation on the grounds that the industry is increasingly profitable, and Belgian prime minister Yves Leterme has indicated in comments to the same publication that he is in favour of such a move. Nuclear provides just over half of Belgium's electricity, and although the country's energy policy formally calls for nuclear to be phased out, the government agreed in 2009 to postpone such a move but demanded that Belgium's nuclear generators pay the annual "contribution" in the meantime.