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trend in the company’s credit quality. The outlooks are positive (up), stable or negative (down).<br />

The highest rating is AAA, down to BBB, which are also said to be a safe investment. However, BB<br />

down to C is described as speculative or “junk”. 193<br />

Table 4: Standard and Poor’s Long-Term Credit Rating of Major European Utilities<br />

Company<br />

CEZ<br />

EDF<br />

ENEL<br />

E.ON<br />

ENGIE<br />

RWE<br />

TVO<br />

Vattenfall<br />

Latest<br />

Rating<br />

Oct.<br />

2006<br />

May<br />

2016<br />

July<br />

2013<br />

May<br />

2015<br />

April<br />

2016<br />

Aug.<br />

2015<br />

May<br />

2016<br />

Sept.<br />

2015<br />

Outlook<br />

2016<br />

May<br />

2015<br />

May<br />

2014<br />

June<br />

2013<br />

June<br />

2012<br />

June<br />

2011<br />

April<br />

2010 2009 2008 2007<br />

Stable A- A- A- A- A- A- A- A- A- A-<br />

Negative A A+ A+ A+ A+ A+ A+ AA- AA- AA-<br />

Stable BBB BBB BBB BBB+ BBB+ A- A- A- A- A<br />

Negative BBB+ BBB+ A- A A A A A A A<br />

Negative A- A A A A A A A A A<br />

WatchNeg BBB BBB+ BBB+ BBB+ A- A- A A A A+<br />

Stable BB+ BBB- BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB BBB<br />

Negative BBB+ A- A- A- A- A- A A A- A-<br />

Sources: Standard & Poor’s; Companies’ Financial Reports<br />

Table 4, shows the trends in rating from S&P for a selection of major electricity utilities. What is<br />

clear, is that S&P recognizes the prevailing conditions in the power sector in Europe with negative<br />

or stable reviews of the companies and, indeed, all of the assessed ones having lower credit rating<br />

than nine years ago. In February 2016, S&P published a summary of its views on 16 European<br />

parent companies of power utilities, which concluded that falling power prices, structural changes,<br />

including a new market design across Europe, and falling earnings could result in downgrades<br />

across the sector this year. 194<br />

As shown in the France Focus section of this report, EDF has particular financial troubles. This is<br />

recognized by the rating agencies. In May 2016, Moody’s issued a credit opinion, which highlighted<br />

three key problems for EDF; exposure to declining market prices in France and the U.K.; increased<br />

competition in its domestic supply market; and the substantial investment program required to<br />

upgrade its nuclear reactors. Moody’s also noted that the “rating could be downgraded if<br />

Hinkley Point C were to go ahead” and that “the outlook could return to stable provided that EDF<br />

193 Rebecca Marston, “What is a rating agency?”, BBC, 20 October 2014, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10108284,<br />

accessed 1 July 2016.<br />

194 S&P, “Weak Power Prices And Regulatory Risks Trigger Mainly Negative Rating Actions On European<br />

Utilities”, 24 February 2016.<br />

Mycle Schneider, Antony Froggatt et al. 63 World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2016

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