Uniper

The split of the majority of E.ON's 'upstream' electricity generation business from its 'downstream' retail and distribution business was first announced in April 2015.[2] The company became active on 1 January 2016, with 14,000 employees and is expecting an operating profit (EBITDA) of €4 billion.[10][11] Arranged below Uniper SE were the Uniper Beteiligungs GmbH and the Uniper Holding GmbH, the latter functioning as holding company for the operative companies such as the Uniper Kraftwerke GmbH.[5] E.ON eventually only included Swedish nuclear plants in Uniper, due to German government rules aimed at stopping companies avoiding nuclear clean up costs.[12]

In June 2016, the shareholders' meetings of E.ON SE and Uniper SE decided to spin off Uniper from E.ON.[5] It took place through a retrospective transfer of Uniper's business to 195 million new shares created by an increase in noncash capital as of January 1, 2016.[13] It was intended to deconsolidate Uniper from E.ON in the first half of 2017.[5] E.ON sold a 53% stake in the business through a listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on 12 September 2016.[14]

In November 2017, Uniper completed the sale of its stake on the Russian gas field Yuzhno-Russkoye. The Uniper share of 25% was sold for €1.749 million plus the transferred liquid funds to the Austrian OMV Group.[15]

In September 2017, Finnish power company Fortum announced it would buy E.ON's remaining 47% stake in Uniper and make a bid for the other 53% held by other shareholders, valuing Uniper at €8 billion. A takeover bid was submitted on 7 November 2017. E.ON accepted the offer on 8 January 2018.[16] Fortum acquired in total a 47.35% stake. The deal was completed on 26 June 2018, after approval by various authorities.[17]

On 4 July 2019, Uniper and EPH ("Energetický a průmyslový holding a.s.") signed the agreements for the sale of Uniper's activities in France. The scope of transaction includes Uniper's French sales business, two gas-fired power plants in Saint-Avold (Lorraine), two coal-fired power plants in Saint-Avold and Gardanne (Provence), the biomass power plant "Provence 4 Biomasse" in Gardanne and wind and solar power plants.[18]

Uniper operates in the EU countries Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium and Hungary. Outside of the EU it operates in Russia, the United Kingdom, and has offices in the United States, Azerbaijan, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.[19] In addition to the fossil fuel power generation assets it owns hydropower and nuclear power assets in Sweden. Together, Fortum and Uniper are running the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant and are both involved in the Forsmark nuclear power plant. Both operate hydropower plants in Sweden.

With 34 GW generating capacities[6] Uniper is one of the largest European electricity producers.[20][21] Uniper Global Commodities SE trades at the spot and futures market for gas, coal, freight, oil, liquefied natural gas and emission rights on different stock markets and on the Over-the-Counter-Market.[15] Uniper Energy Storage GmbH is responsible for gas storage activities in Europe. The Power-to-Gas plants WindGas Falkenhagen and WindGas Hamburg store renewable energy in the form of electricity, gas or heat. Through electrolyze the gained wind energy is transformed in hydrogen and fed in the local gas network.[22] The Uniper Energy Storage GmbH operates gas storages with capacity of 9 billion cubic metres (3.2×10¹¹ cubic feet) in Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom.[8]

In addition, Uniper owns more than 70 hydropower plants with a capacity of 1,553 MW in Sweden.

According to the 2017 Sustainability Report, the power production (totalling 120.8 TWh in 2017) by primary energy source was:[23]

The CEO of the company is Andreas Schierenbeck. Sascha Bibert is Chief Financial Officer (CFO).[24] Keith Martin is the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for commercial activities and Eckhardt Rümmler the Chief Operating Officer (COO).[25] The supervisory board consist of twelve members. Six members have been appointed by the general meeting, six by the employees through an election set up by Uniper SE. The shareholder representatives are Dr. Bernhard Reutersberg (Chairman), Markus Rauramo (Deputy Chairman), Jean-Francois Cirelli, David Charles Davies, Dr. Marion Helmes and Rebecca Ranich. The employee representatives are Harald Seegatz (Deputy Chairman), Ingrid Åsander, Oliver Biniek, Barbara Jagodzinski, André Muilwijk and Immo Schlepper.[26] Chris Flynn is the UK Business Development Manager.[27]

• Official website