| After the nuclear power company British | | | | speculation and prospect of an imminent |
| Energy announced that it was thinking | | | | deal excited the investors considerably. |
| about takeover approaches earlier this | | | | British Energy's eight nuclear power |
| year, and then subsequently held talks | | | | stations are Dungeness B in Kent, |
| and meetings with EDF of France, E.ON | | | | Hartlepool, Heysham 1 and 2 in |
| and RWE of Germany, and Iberdrola of | | | | Lancashire, Hinkley Point B in Somerset, |
| Spain. It is the French energy power | | | | Hunterston B in Ayrshire, Sizewell B in |
| house that has emerged as the only | | | | Suffolk and Torness in East Lothian. The |
| formal bidder for the takeover and is | | | | group, which has around 6,000 staff, |
| now only days away from clinching the | | | | also owns a coal-fired power station at |
| £12 billion deal. | | | | Eggborough, East Yorkshire. |
| EDF has been one of the leading | | | | EDF executives now hope to be able to |
| contenders to buy British Energy since | | | | announce a deal imminently. Centrica, |
| the British Government effectively put | | | | the British power company, is also |
| the power company up for sale by | | | | involved in some negotiations with EDF, |
| announcing it wanted to sell its 35% | | | | they are seeking to secure a deal that |
| stake in the nuclear operator. | | | | would see it acquire 25% of British |
| According to the BBC, EDF is now | | | | Energy. |
| prepared to pay as much as 775p per | | | | The decisive takeover price for British |
| share, after British Energy released | | | | Energy is still under last-minute |
| that none of the potential deals took | | | | discussions, but could go above the 750p |
| into account the soaring wholesale | | | | share mark, valuing it at between |
| electricity costs and the prospective | | | | £11bn and £12bn. That would |
| role of its sites and the allotted plans | | | | secure the Government as much as |
| that were in development in conjunction | | | | £4bn. However, the net cash has |
| to Britain's nuclear power supply. | | | | already been marked for the decommission |
| Shares in British Energy, which is | | | | costs that are connected with |
| capable of producing around one-sixth of | | | | dismantling nuclear power stations, |
| the UK's energy needs, rose to almost 6% | | | | nearing the end of their lives. |
| following the report as the renewed | | | | |