E.ON

Background

Eon is an international energy company, headquartered in Germany, with interests in Europe and the US.

It operates 12 nuclear power stations in Germany and one in Sweden. The German company has a large contract with BNFL to produce MOX fuel. [1]

Eon’s UK arm owns the energy supplier Powergen, which has some 6m electricity and gas customers. It also generates power, through a combination of coal, oil and gas power stations. It also operates 20 wind farms and a hydro scheme.

Eon and nuclear in the UK

Eon is considering major investment in new nuclear power stations in the UK.

In its submission to the Stern Review of the economics of Climate Change [2], dated December 2005, the company stated: “Nuclear power: we are carrying out preliminary work on evaluating this as an investment option in the UK.� It continued: “In the UK, there has been little or no progress in the development of a regulatory framework that makes investment in nuclear power… a real option for the market to consider. We will work with Government in moving this agenda forward…�.

It added: “Assuming that a nuclear design and site licensing and planning regime exists which minimises plant procurement costs, new nuclear construction can be broadly competitive… and could become the preferred technology with a modest cost of carbon.� [3]

So, in common with other energy companies, Eon is repositioning nuclear as a green form of power. http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php?title=Eon&action=submit

PR

Fishburn Hedges worked for Eon in 2005.

Who runs Eon UK?

• Dr. Wulf H. Bernotat, chairman – previously worked for Shell
• Paul Golby, chief executive – also a non executive director of AEA Technology (which was formed from the commercial arm of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority) and a fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.
• Graham Bartlett, chief financial officer – previously worked for Transco, British Gas, Cable & Wireless, BT and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
• Nick Horler, managing director – spent 12 years in the oil industry
• Tony Cocker, managing director of Energy Wholesale – previously worked for Bass plc and for the LEK Partnership.
• Bob Taylor, managing director of Distribution (Central Networks) – worked in the energy industry since 1985
• Jarri Sandström, human resources director – formerly worked for Vickers Marine Division and Nestlé.
• Erhard Schipporeit – on Eon AG’s Board
• Burckhard Bergmann – on Eon AG’s Board, previopus nuclear industry experience
• Fiona Stark, company secretary – lawyer