Vattenfall wants to close the Ringhals 1 and 2 prematurely – Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet

It’s reactors Ringhals 1 and 2 that can be closed between 2018 and 2020. But the decision requires that the second owner Eon agree with Vattenfall.

– Unfortunately we see how market conditions with low electricity price consists in coming years. At the same time, we see that the production costs increase, says Torbjörn Wahlborg, head of Vattenfall Business Area Generation, in a press release.

Vattenfall owns 70.4 percent of Ringhals and the book value is 15.1 billion.

– Our decision on a commercial basis. Of course it is regrettable to close properly functioning production but sometimes it is inevitable, says Torbjörn Wahlborg in a press release.

The government has decided to raise the tax on the thermal effect of nuclear power, something that will bring the Treasury SEK 104 million in year and 250 million next year, according to the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill.

After the increase the share tax rate to 14 770 per megawatt and month of the maximum thermal output of a nuclear reactor. The current rate, in effect since 2008, located at 12 648 per megawatt and month. The amendment shall enter into force on 1 August this year.

Both Forsmark and Ringhals, which is wholly or partly owned by the state company Vattenfall, were critical of the proposal to increase the tax on the thermal effect because they have no profitability with today’s market prices and that the proposal could mean that one or more reactors would be forced to close prematurely, something that now seems to become reality.

Commenting Eon Communications Roger Strandahl that he wishes the rapid processing of the case and that taxes are an important part of the question ..

– The Committee notes that the market for all types of production is under pressure and for nuclear power will be the penalty tax on nuclear power. And the political system has signaled further increases in taxes, says Roger Strandahl.

What would this mean for your business?

– It is too early to say. We’ve just got to us this. But it’s no secret that we see position on the electricity market as very strained, says Roger Strandahl.

Vattenfall for the new cut more than 29,300 full-time jobs.

news of the Ringhals came in connection with the interim report for the first quarter. Waterfalls, as a result of large write-downs in the Dutch acquisition Nuon has made a full-year losses for two consecutive years, reports a pretax profit of 6.843 billion kronor for the first quarter, compared with profit of 10.131 billion crowns same quarter last year.