British Energy

Background

British Energy is Britain's largest producer of electricity, generating around one-fifth of the nation’s electricity. British Energy was privatised and floated in 1996. Nuclear Electric constitutes half of British Energy.

PR and Lobbying

In 2003/04 BE retained PPS Group a specialist PR agency focused on influencing local government particularly in relation to planning issues. In October 2004, British Energy appointed Craig Stevenson, a former UK lobbyist for Monsanto as the head of government affairs and in December it enlisted Helen Liddell, the former energy minister, to provide "strategic advice" on a short contract for a fee of roughly £15,000. BE also commissioned the services of Financial Dynamics, a PR firm, for a sum of £1million.(New Statesman, May 27, 2005)

British Energy is a founding member of the Scottish Parliament Business Exchange

Key Personnel

Chief Executive

Mike Alexander

Related Articles

• Tim Webb, "Analysis: Nuclear haze",Independent on Sunday, November 27, 2005
• Jonathan Leake and Dan Box, When PR goes nuclear, New Statesman, May 27, 2005