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Nuclear fuel tax 'formally unconstitutional'

30 January 2013

Germany's tax on nuclear fuel was designed 'to siphon off the profits of the nuclear power plant operators', judges in Hamburg have ruled. The tax exceeds government competence and contradicts the country's constitution.  

Since January 2011, each gram of fissile nuclear fuel loaded into a reactor has carried a levy of €145 ($196), and this means that nuclear power plants have so far paid around €1.5 billion ($2.0 billion) through the tax.

Notes from the court said there had always been 'considerable doubt' about the legal basis of the tax, which was challenged by utilities soon after the government abaondoned their deal on longer operating lives. The tax was upheld by the Stuttgart Tax Court, but labelled doubtful in Hamburg. A government appeal to that decision has kept the tax in effect to date, but today's statement that the Hamburg Tax Court is 'convinced' that the tax is 'formally unconstitutional' will send it to the Constitutional Court.

Five designs compete for next Olkiluoto build

01 February 2013

All invited bidders have submitted proposals for a new reactor at the Olkiluoto power plant, said owner TVO. The competition is between Areva, GE-Hitachi, KHNP, Mitsubishi and Toshiba.

Trawsfynydd on film

01 February 2013

Trawsfynydd 1 (Emptyset) 72x48The Trawsfynydd nuclear power plant, under decommissioning in Britain, will feature in a sound and film installation that explores industrial architecture.

Chinese I&C deal increases nuclear localisation

31 January 2013

Westinghouse-SNPTC IC agreement (SNPTC)_48Westinghouse and Chinese company State Nuclear Power Automation System Engineering Company are to work together to provide instrumentation and control (I&C) systems for China's future AP1000 nuclear power plants.

Areva revenues up in 2012

01 February 2013

Although orders continued to be cancelled following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, Areva reported that overall sales revenue grew 5.3% in 2012 while its order backlog remained unchanged from the year before.

Dialogue on replacement Ringhals units

31 January 2013

Ringhals residents visit 48Swedish utility Vattenfall will meet with officials from the municipality of Varberg, where the Ringhals nuclear power plant is located, for initial discussions on the potential construction of new reactors there.

Yangjiang steam generators arrive on site

31 January 2013

Steam generators for Yangjiang 3, January 2012 (Shanghai Electric) 75x48A delivery this month completed the journey of three steam generators from the Lingang manufacturing plant near Shanghai to the Yangjiang nuclear power plant site.

Industry Talk

New president for B&W NE

Michael Lees will retire as president of Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Energy (B&W NE) at the end of March, having worked for B&W for more than 30 years. His successor, Joseph Zwetolitz, will assume the role in mid-February. Zwetolitz has worked within the commercial nuclear power industry for more than 27 years, most recently serving as president of Americas Region at Westinghouse Electric and previously with Areva and Framatome ANP.

Record Kazakh U output

Kazakhstan remained the world's leading uranium producing country in 2012, according to state nuclear company KazAtomProm. Total Kazakh output increased from 19,451 tonnes in 2011 to 20,900 tonnes in 2012, representing about 37% of world production of 55,700 tonnes, according to preliminary figures. KazAtomProm's own production came to some 11,900 tonnes, of which about 9260 tonnes was exported.

Vanderheyden joins ENEC

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has appointed George Vanderheyden as its chief nuclear officer to "oversee operations and operational strategic planning for the UAE's proposed commercial nuclear fleet." Vanderheyden joins ENEC from infrastructure and energy investment company Assensus Energy, having previously been president and CEO of UniStar Nuclear Energy and senior vice president of Constellation Energy Nuclear.

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