The city-owned company expects an enormous increase in electricity consumption in all customer groups over the next few years.
“Large inquiries from major customers”
“On the one hand, the load increases are driven by the implementation of a sustainable mobility and heating transition, in particular by connecting charging stations and heat pumps,” says the power grid company.
“On the other hand, the company is already seeing a large number of inquiries from major customers for high performance: fleet operators, expansion of local public transport, electrolysis systems.” The energy transition is also making new demands on the production side. Environment Senator Jens Kerstan (Greens) said that the power grid of the future “must be able to absorb and transport the increasingly decentralized electricity generated”.
Grid company increases profit significantly
Despite the renewed significant increase in investments, the power grid company has again made significantly more profit. The bottom line was 89.8 million euros that were paid to the Hanseatic city last year. In 2021, at 52.8 million euros, it was significantly less than in 2020.
After a referendum, the city took over the power grid completely from the utility Vattenfall retroactively to January 1, 2014 and paid more than 610 million euros for it. Since then, a total of a good 434 million euros in profits have flowed to the city. “In keeping with the tenth anniversary of the referendum to buy back the networks, this result underscores the decision made at the time to buy back the energy infrastructure,” said Kerstan. (dpa/hoe)