Sydkraft asks city court to delay n-power closure
Date: 07-Oct-99
Country: NORWAY
Sydkraft filed a complaint to the EU last year, asking it to examine a
government plan to close its Barseback power plant, south Sweden, saying
it would give a favourable position to its main competitor, state-owned
Vattenfall .
The first reactor is due to shut by the end of November.
"Sydkraft wants the government's decision to close Barseback one by
November 30 at the latest not to come into effect until the competition
issue has been handled by the EU Commission," Sydkraft chief executive
Lars Frithiof said in a statement.
"If the competition aspect of a closure is not handled by the EU
Commission and we win (after the closure), Sydkraft risks facing serious
and irrepairable damages," Frithiof said.
Barseback's second reactor is due to shut in 2001 as the second step in
a long-term government programme to end nuclear power production.
There are no specific plans to shut down any of Sweden's other 10
nuclear power reactors.
Sydkraft in August also asked the Commission to overrule a June decision
by Sweden's Supreme Administrative court, which backed the phase-out
plan. The company said authorities had failed to request the required
advance ruling from the European Commission Court of Justice.
The Commission has not yet ruled on any of the complaints. There is no
deadline for the Commission to rule on complaints about discriminatory
decisions that affect business.
Sweden's controversial shutdown plan dates back to a 1980 public
referendum, which laid the groundwork for a nuclear power phase-out
programme to be completed by 2010.
Around 46 percent of Sweden's power output is nuclear power.
