Belgian minister disputes agreement with Electrabel

Electrabel said that it is still in talks with the Belgian government over a planned levy on nuclear power plant operators. The government wants nuclear plant operators in Belgium - predominantly Electrabel - to contribute €250 million ($388 million) to help fill a budget gap in 2008. Electrabel said that the government had agreed to extend the operating lives of Belgium's nuclear power reactors in exchange for the payment. However, the energy minister insists that no such deal was made. In a statement, Electrabel - a subsidiary of Suez - said that "comments referring to an agreement by nuclear producers to contribute up to €250 million in 2008 for the state budget are wrong. Moreover, no provision for subsequent years has been examined. At this stage - that of technical discussions - only ideas have been raised." Paul Magnette, Belgium's minister of energy, said "this statement is an unacceptable U-turn by Electrabel following confirmation of the agreement yesterday." He added, that if Electrabel maintained its stance there would be no further discussions with the electricity sector about this contribution." Magnette threatened that the government would "take the necessary steps to obtain an equivalent amount and to end Electrabel's dominance of the Belgium market," but did not explain why the extraordinary nuclear levy was originally required.