Hergen Haye
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This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch. |
Hergen Haye has been the Head of New Nuclear & Strategy at the UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) since 2010.
Contents
Background
- Since joining the then Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in 2001, [Haye] has led on a number of key governmental projects including Competition policy for the DTI Enterprise Act 2002, the Consumer Credit White Paper 2005, and European Energy Policy where he led on behalf of the UK response on the completion of the single market reform. In 2007 he led one of the largest Government consultations on the future of nuclear power and in February 2008 he was appointed Head of Distributed Energy & Heat Policy, ensuring the development of a coherent UK micro generation and distributed Energy policy. [1]
Wined and dined by nuclear lobbyists
In November 2012 an investigation by NuclearSpin/Spinwatch revealed that Hergen Haye and two other top officials from the Office for Nuclear Development (OND) continued to enjoy what some would see as excessive hospitality from an industry they are meant to regulate. Since the Coalition Agreement was signed in May 2010, the three officials had been wined and dined over 50 times by nuclear companies or those with a stake in nuclear new build, including pro-nuclear pressure groups, law firms and accountancy firms. [2]
- Hergen Haye, who is in charge of new nuclear build at the OND, meanwhile has tucked into breakfast at the Cinnamon Club, and lunch at the Forge at Covent Garden, where there are over 500 wines to choose from. He has received dinners at the exclusive Reform Club in Pall Mall, where annual membership is just under £1,500 and the Cavalry and Guards Club, which offers seven banqueting suites to choose from in its exclusive Mayfair surroundings. Officials from the Department have also attended "receptions" at the RAC Club, the Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords, the Royal Society and the Science Museum.
- This hospitality is part of a multi-million pound lobbying effort by the nuclear industry to become a central tenet of the Coalition government’s low carbon energy. It seems to have paid off. [3]
Protecting the nuclear industry from bad news
In July 2012, The Guardian published excerpts from OND emails that revealed how Hergen Haye had worked closely with E.ON and RWE to soften the impact of a major blow to plans for a new nuclear programme.
E.ON and RWE announced on 29 March 2012 that they were abandoning plans to build two nuclear power stations at Oldbury in Gloucestershire and Wylfa in Anglesey. The decision was blamed on the German government's retreat from nuclear power after Fukushima and doubts about financing.
Shortly before the decision was announced, Haye wrote to the firms to ask if he could be informed when they had told Labour's first minister for Wales of their decision.
Haye said in his letter this was 'in order for us to share our press lines to co-ordinate a united message'. The companies' proposed press statements looked 'broadly fine', he said, but promised to forward 'any detailed comments'. He asked about 'engagement plans and timing' for telling local authorities. 'Also we have been thinking about some difficult/defensive line issues and would be grateful for sight of what you may say,' he said.
Haye also wanted to know how the companies would respond to journalists questioning whether the UK government could have done something differently to prevent the pull out. 'Do you think it is possible for new nuclear to be built in the UK?' Haye asked.
In response to the article, Greenpeace accused ministers of trying to mislead the public.[4]
CV
- Director, Nuclear Public Engagement, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, January 2007 – January 2008 (1 year 1 month)
- Director for EU Energy Policy Department of Trade and Industry March 2005 – January 2007 (1 year 11 months)
- Deputy Director for Consumer Credit Policy, Department of Trade and Industry March 2003 – March 2005 (2 years 1 month)
- Assistant Director, Competition Policy, Department of Trade and Industry, January 2002 – March 2003 (1 year 3 months)
Affiliations
Resources and Notes
Resources
- Hergen Haye, New build post-Fukushima: learning, improving, progressing, Presentation at the European Nuclear Assembly organisated by FORATOM at the Residence Palace, Brussels Tuesday 6 December 2011, sponsored by GE, Hitachi, Areva and Westinghouse
Notes
- ↑ Hergen Haye, European Nuclear Assembly conference speakers, undated, acc 8 October 2013
- ↑ HOSPITALITY REGISTER – OFFICE FOR NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT 29 Oct 2009 – 29 Oct 2012, published on Scribd
- ↑ Andy Rowell and Rich Cookson, Nuclear Hospitality of Key Officials Exposed, Spinwatch, 28 November 2012
- ↑ Rob Edwards, Emails reveal UK government's moves to protect nuclear power from bad news, The Guardian, 19 July 2012
