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• RWE reassures on Belene

  RWE has confirmed to the Bulgarian government that it remains interested in a major stake in the Belene project. The two new 1000 MWe reactors at Belene will be 51% owned by the state's National Electricity Company (NEK), while the fate of the remaining 49% is under discussion. Previous newspaper reports had speculated that RWE had lost interest, but the company's Holger Bitts flew to Sophia to meet Petar Dimitrov, Bulgaria's minister of economy and energy. "Our commitment to the Belene nuclear power plant project has not changed," said Bitts in a minstry statement, "A team of 75 specialists is working on the analysis and preparation of a bid." The other firm in the running for a major stake is Belgium's Electrabel. Recent RWE presentations have described a 'balanced mix of coal, gas and nuclear' as well as a 'focus on new build abroad' as parts of its nuclear strategy - as well as taking part in at least two nuclear projects in the UK and keeping nuclear power as an option in home country Germany. Posted May 15 2008, 09:17 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: RWE

• RWE linked to British Energy stake

  [Die Welt, 18 March] A source close to RWE's board of directors told German newspaper Die Welt on Sunday that it had given the 'green light' for the company to bid for a stake in British Energy. A price of €2.5 billion ($3.9 billion) was mentioned in connection with a 35.2% stake, equal to the British government's current holding. Yesterday, British Energy followed stock market rules by notifying shareholders within one working day that it was in official discussions with parties interested in at least 1% of the company. The UK company owns the most promising sites for nuclear new build in Britain, and has been in partnership discussions with many European utilities besides RWE. The UK government said recently it was keeping its ownership of the stake "under review." Posted Mar 18 2008, 08:23 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: British Energy, RWE

• Shortlist of investors in Belene down to two

  Bulgaria's National Electric Company has short-listed Germany's RWE and Belgium's Electrabel as strategic investors in the planned Belene nuclear power plant. NEK is seeking investors for a stake of up to 49% of the project company. Posted Mar 12 2008, 12:47 PM by World Nuclear News Filed under: RWE, Electrabel

• Court upholds ban on extension of Biblis A

  [Reuters, 27 February] The Administrative Court in Kassel, Germany, ruled that RWE may not extend the operation of its Biblis A nuclear power reactor. Under Germany’s nuclear phase out agreement, the operating life of nuclear power plants is limited by total output. RWE had applied for the transfer of 30 TWh of output from the Mülheim-Kärlich plant, which operated for only a short time in the 1980s before being permanently closed, to Biblis A. Without the transfer, Biblis A will operate until about September 2009. German legislation regarding nuclear power plants does not allow for this transfer, the court said. The court upheld a decision by the Environment Ministry that barred RWE from transferring unused generation capacity from one nuclear plant to another. RWE said that it plans to appeal the verdict at the Federal Administrative Court. The ruling coalition government is split between the Christian Democrats, who support an extension of the lifetime of nuclear reactors, and the Social Democrats, whose Sigmar Gabriel heads the Environment Ministry and opposes any extension. The latest ruling reduces hopes that RWE will be able to keep Biblis A operating until after the next general election in 2009, when an outright win by the Christian Democrats could result in a change in Germany's nuclear phase-out policy. Posted Feb 28 2008, 11:05 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: Germany, RWE