BRUSSELS: Belgium’s Constitutional Court has rejected Electrabel’s appeal against the legality of the nuclear tax contribution imposed by the government for 2013. The company maintains that the level of tax does not reflect deteriorating market conditions in which it operates.
In 2008, the Belgian government announced that the country’s nuclear power plant operators would have to make a one-off payment of €250 million ($338 million). However, in 2009 it said it would postpone its planned nuclear phaseout but would charge nuclear operators an annual tax of €215 to €245 million ($245-280 million) over the period 2010-2014. In 2012, the government passed laws doubling the level of tax.
Belgium’s nuclear operators filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court in June 2013 against the nuclear contribution that had been set for 2012. The government had set a total contribution from the nuclear operators of €550 million ($629 million), of which Electrabel had to pay €479 million ($548 million). However, the court rejected the utilities’ appeal in July 2014, saying that it was “unfounded.” At that time, Electrabel said it would reconsider the future of its nuclear activities in Belgium.
