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. BE currently owns and operates eight nuclear power stations in the UK.

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