EU investigates government subsidies to power stations

European Union regulators opened an extensive investigation on 29 April 2015 into the way 11 EU member states subsidised utilities to ensure against blackouts. The European Commission said it would ask Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden for information on existing schemes or their plans to set up one.

The main concern of this investigation was that such support schemes might breach state aid rules.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Commission to investigate ‘capacity mechanisms’ for illegal subsidies http://www.europeansources.info/record/commission-to-investigate-capacity-mechanisms-for-illegal-subsidies/

Deutsche Welle, 29.04.15: EU probes subsidies to power companies http://dw.de/p/1FHbc

The Wall Street Journal, 29.04.15: European Commission Opens Energy -Generation Compensation Inquiry http://www.wsj.com/articles/european-commission-opens-energy-generation-compensation-inquiry-1430306560

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