EUROPE - POLICY UK government 'threatens' windfall tax on energy companies

摘要

Alistair Darling, the UK chancellor of the exchequer, may pressurise UK energy companies to cut residential energy bills. UK government sources told local media that Darling may levy a windfall tax on UK energy suppliers in his budget on March 12, unless they cut prices for some or all UK households. The government estimates that 4.5 million Britons are in ‘fuel poverty’, which it defines as having to spend more than 10% of their disposable income on fuel bills. Darling’s threat follows Centrica’s announcement of ￡1.9 billion ($2.9 billion) operating profits for 2007, a 50% year-on-year increase due largely to large gains in margin in the residential market.