Companies

MEPs call for mandatory register of Brussels lobbyists

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A European Parliament committee on Tuesday (1 April) called for a mandatory register of the estimated 15-20,000 lobbyists in Brussels that wander the halls of the European institutions aiming to influence legislation.

In a significant victory for campaigners for transparency in public institutions, a report approved by the parliament's constitutional affairs committee recommends that 'interest representatives' – commonly known as lobbyists – be forced to be listed in a joint register covering the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council – where member states are represented.

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Siemens sees impact from Finnish plant delay

Monday, March 31, 2008

FRANKFURT, March 31 (Reuters) - German engineering group Siemens expects a "not insignificant" financial impact from delays in completing a nuclear power plant in Finland, a German daily reported on Monday.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quoted a Siemens spokesman as saying: "That is certainly aggravating."

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Buried costs

Thursday, March 27, 2008

In this extract from his new book, Nukenomics: The commercialisation of Britain's nuclear industry, Ian Jackson looks at the radwaste disposal market and how it influences the economics of new nuclear build.

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Suez says prefers industrial role in UK nuclear

Thursday, March 27, 2008

PARIS, March 27 (Reuters) - Suez is interested in an industrial cooperation with British Energy rather than a purely financial investment in the UK nuclear power producer, the head of the French utility said on Thursday.

"If we can play an industrial role, let's talk about it ... but if this is strictly a financial role, then we are not interested," Suez Chief Executive Gerard Mestrallet told reporters on the sidelines of a nuclear conference in Paris.

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Bill Coley

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Firing up the nuclear sector

As the man who holds the fate of the UK's biggest nuclear energy producer, including key sites and nuclear expertise, in his hands, Bill Coley is to be taken seriously.

He hasn't always been treated with such regard since taking over British Energy in March 2005, in spite of vowing to improve the reliability of its eight nuclear plants.

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Iberian power prices dip on weather, nuclear plant

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

MADRID, March 25 (Reuters) - Iberian power prices declined on Tuesday as temperatures rose after an unseasonable cold snap and a nuclear power plant came back on stream, traders said.

The 1,000-megawatt Trillo plant near Madrid was automatically disconnected from the national grid on Monday afternoon due to a sudden drop in power while water tanks were being cleaned.

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Greenpeace in Belgium fined

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Belgian section of the environmental organisation Greenpeace has been fined following a protest at Doel power station

The Belgian section of the environmental organisation Greenpeace has been fined following a protest at Doel power station in East Flanders.

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Exelon spent $3.9M lobbying in 2007

Monday, March 24, 2008

WASHINGTON—Exelon Corp., one of the largest U.S. utilities, spent $3.9 million to lobby the federal government in 2007.

The company lobbied on various appropriations bills and on legislation dealing with climate change, nuclear power, pension protection, tax credits, uranium sales and trade, and more, according to a disclosure form posted online Feb. 14 by the Senate's public records office.

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Nuclear trade group spent $1.3M lobbying

Monday, March 24, 2008

WASHINGTON - The nuclear energy industry's main trade group spent $1.3 million to lobby the federal government in 2007, according to a disclosure form.

The Nuclear Energy Institute lobbied on various appropriations bills, including those dealing with energy and water development and the restructruing of the electric utility industry.

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For sale: Scots atomic pride

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Back in 2002, British Energy, the largest power generator in the UK, hosted a Burns Night dinner. Appropriately for a company fiercely proud of its Scottish roots, it was held at the historic Caledonian Club close to Hyde Park Corner in London. Its then chief executive, Robin Jeffrey, wore a kilt, as did many other employees, along with supportive Scottish politicians who attended. In keeping with tradition, diners stood to attention as the cook, accompanied by a bagpiper, brought in the haggis on a large dish. Jeffrey, himself a Scotsman, led the toasts, even reciting a witty ditty - witty to the audience, anyway - asking the government for a larger subsidy.

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