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Eu approves 4b deal for UK taxpayers to take on british energy debt
22 September 2004
The European Commission has approved a deal to allow the UK Government to pay off
£4 billion in debt owed by British Energy plc over the next 100 years using taxpayers' money after the ailing nuclear power company failed to put aside cash to dispose of its nuclear waste.
The EC decision opens the doors to many similar cases from other EU nuclear operators that have failed to put aside enough money to meet radioactive waste disposal costs - it has been condemned by Friends of the Earth which has warned that new legal controls are urgently needed.
Friends of the Earth Environmental Limits Campaigner Roger Higman said:
"This is a disgraceful decision and potentially an appalling precedent. British Energy should pay its own clean-up costs by putting up its prices. It should not load its radioactive legacy on to UK taxpayers. The Commission has failed to uphold the polluter pays principle."
"Why haven't Commissioner Monti or Palacio appeared before the press to defend this disgraceful decisions. Are they too ashamed?"
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
