Germany's RWE plans to bring its high-voltage power grid into a new cross-border European company, German magazine Der Spiegel reported. According to the plan, utilities in France, Germany or Benelux countries could bring their power grid into a jointly owned European company that provides access to market players.
The magazine, which did not give a source for its report, said the German utility had distributed its plan to relevant authorities in Brussels and in Berlin.
Commenting on the report, a RWE spokeswoman said: "We want to retain our network and to continue our integrated model. We have always said that we favour a more closer co-operation in European grid network". Earlier this month, rival E.ON proposed setting up a holding of all German power networks to prevent a sale of the grids to foreign investors.
The company said putting German power networks into a joint group in which investors would be able to take a stake would fulfil demands from the European Union for utilities to divest their networks.
E.ON has also said it aims to sell its long-distance power grid as well as sell or swap 4,800 megawatt in generation capacity to settle two European Commission antitrust cases against it. The European Commission has launched a campaign against abuse in the energy market in 2006 and last year proposed the unbundling of transport networks, partly because of persistent high power prices.
Comments
Comments are closed.