"Large Grid Company" founded on 1 September 2016

12.09.2016

1,300 employees now part of joint grid company

1,300 employees now part of joint grid company

 

The Berlin electricity grid has been operated as part of a large grid company since 1 September 2016. It was entered into the commercial register on this exact date, when Vattenfall Europe Metering GmbH and Vattenfall Europe Netzservice GmbH merged into Stromnetz Berlin GmbH. This represented one of the company's significant projects being finalised as planned, after around a year and a half of preparation time. All essential tasks associated with operating the grid are now not only planned and controlled from one place, but also carried out directly via the grid operator's own dedicated business units.

Head of Stromnetz, Thomas Schäfer, stresses: "It is the right time for a large grid company. By creating this, we are fulfilling a wish made to us by our most important partner: the State of Berlin. We are of course going to follow through, as we are confident that this will enable us to operate the Berlin electricity grid more efficiently in future." In the long-term around 2.3 million electricity grid customers will benefit from cost reductions and process improvements resulting from the merging of the companies.

The "large grid company" combines the systems and service relationships necessary to operate the power distribution network, as well as the 1,300 employees who work for the Berlin electricity grid, into one company. The companies Vattenfall Europe Metering GmbH and Vattenfall Europe Netzservice GmbH were previously active as service providers for the network operator, Stromnetz Berlin GmbH. Nothing has changed in terms of the ownership structure of the network operator: Stromnetz Berlin GmbH is still a subsidiary company 100% owned by Vattenfall GmbH.