Thames Water Creditors Warn Nationalisation Could Cost Taxpayers £140 Billion

Thames Water creditors have informed the UK government that nationalising English water companies would expose taxpayers to a bill of £140 billion, £40 billion higher than previously estimated and equivalent to approximately HK$523.6 billion.

The creditors' proposal includes absorbing billions of pounds in losses and injecting fresh capital to fund a restructuring, in exchange for greater flexibility from water regulator Ofwat on issues such as investment targets and fines. The plan is designed to avoid full nationalisation through internal adjustments, but it does not specify implementation details or a timeline.