Repower (Swiss company)
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Aktiengesellschaft (Company limited by shares)[1] | |
| Industry | Energy |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Headquarters | Brusio,[1] Switzerland |
Area served | Europe |
Key people |
Kurt Bobst (CEO) Eduard Rikli (Chairman of the Board of Directors) |
| Products | Electricity generation, transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution |
| Revenue | CHF 2.275 billion (2014)[2] |
Number of employees | 671 (30 June 2015)[3] |
| Website | www.repower.com |
Repower (until May 2010 Rätia Energie AG[1]) is an international energy utility with its operational headquarters in Poschiavo (Canton Graubünden, Switzerland). The company’s history goes back more than 100 years. Its key markets include Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Romania. The group operates along the entire value chain, from generation and trading to sales, as well as in the innovative “New Tech Business”. Repower AG shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
The Repower Group employs around 670 people, plus around 500 sales agents in Italy and some 30 apprentices in Switzerland.
History
For more than 100 years, Repower has been one of the largest providers of electricity in Switzerland. Founded in 1904 as Kraftwerke Brusio AG, the same year the company started construction of its first power plant − at the time the largest high-pressure hydropower installation in Europe − in Campocologno in the Poschiavo region of Canton Graubünden, Switzerland. Proximity to the Italian border precipitated the company's involvement in international projects and business activities. In 2000, Kraftwerke Brusio AG (Poschiavo), AG Bündner Kraftwerke (Klosters) and Rhätische Werke für Elektrizität AG (Thusis) merged to create the Rätia Energie AG group, which was subsequently joined by aurax ag (Ilanz) in 2004. In 2002 the group embarked on business in Italy, and in 2007 commenced trading in Prague. Since 2009 the company has also operated in Romania. In 2010, Rätia Energie AG was renamed Repower AG.
Shareholder structure
The company’s shareholders are:[4]
- Canton Graubünden 58.3%
- Axpo Holding AG 33.7%
- Free float 8% + participation certificates
Financial highlights
Repower prepares its accounts in Swiss francs. Its 2014 results were announced on 31 March 2015.
| 2014 financial highlights | CHF million[2] |
|---|---|
| Total operating revenue | 2.273 |
| Group profit | -33 |
| Operating profit (EBIT) | 26 |
| Balance sheet total | 2.104 |
| Equity | 766 |
Executive board
The executive board comprises the following members:[5]
- Kurt Bobst, CEO of Repower Group
- Felix Vontobel, Head of Generation / Grid, Deputy CEO
- Stefan Kessler, Head of Finance, CFO
- Giovanni Jochum, Head of Market
- Fabio Bocchiola, Head of Italy
Offices
In Switzerland the group has offices in Bever, Küblis, Ilanz, Landquart, Poschiavo and Zurich. In Italy it operates out of an office in Milan and in Central and Eastern Europe out of Prague, Bucharest and Sarajevo.
Generation
Repower has its own generation assets in Switzerland, Italy and Germany, producing electricity on the basis of different technologies: hydro, thermal and wind. In 2014 the group’s own installations generated around 1.47 TWh of electricity. In addition to this, the company holds interests in nuclear power plants in Switzerland and France.
Thermal power plants
Repower has a 61% interest in SET S.p.A. (Milan), which operates the Teverola combined cycle gas power plant in the Italian province of Caserta. This 400 MW installation, the group’s largest power plant, went into operation at the end of 2006.
Nuclear power
Repower holds interests in nuclear power plants in Switzerland and France, representing an installed capacity of around 50 MW.
Renewable energy
Hydropower
The group operates 16 of its own hydropower plants in Canton Graubünden, Switzerland. It also has interests and drawing rights in other plants. The company’s installed hydropower capacity totals 444.2 MW.
Some of these hydropower facilities generate naturemade star certified green power. The naturemade star label is awarded by the Association for Environmentally Sound Energy (VUE).
Wind
In Italy the group operates a wind farm in Corleto Perticara (9.3 MW), and in Lucera (26MW) and holds an interest in another wind farm in Giunchetto on Sicily (Repower’s interest: 11.6 MW). In Germany the Repower subsidiary Repartner Produktions AG owns two wind farms, in Prettin (10 MW) and Lübbenau (16 MW).
Current projects
The group is currently planning several generation projects:
- Lagobianco project (1,050 MW): the main part of the project consists of a pumped storage power plant between Lago Bianco and Lago di Poschiavo. In addition, Repower plans to renovate existing power plants in the Poschiavo Valley. The company develops the project in collaboration with different interest groups and the authorities. With the approval of concessions by the government of Canton Graubünden in spring 2014, the first of two phases of the cantonal approval process was successfully concluded. The second phase began in March 2015 when Repower submitted the request for project approval. The challenging environment doesn’t allow to proceed with construction of the pumped storage plant, which would take around six to seven years. Once the approvals have been granted, the priority will therefore be given to the renewal of the existing assets.[6]
- Chlus power plant (62 MW approx.): Repower plans to build a hydropower plant between Küblis and Trimmis (Graubünden, Switzerland). The project is developed in collaboration with different interest groups. Repower has concluded the concession project, and the twelve local communities have given the concession a clear approval. In spring 2015, Repower and the local communities submitted the request for concession approval to the Canton Graubünden. The plant is expected to take around four to five years to build.[7]
- Lucera 2 wind farm: The project in Apulia (Italy) involves plans to build additional wind turbines to complete the Lucera 1 wind farm (26 MW). At present the environmental impact assessment by the Apulia region is under way.[8]
- Campolattaro pumped storage plant (approximately 600 MW): The project connects an existing lower dammed lake with a reservoir higher up to create a single system. The approval process is currently under way. The construction will take around six years.[9]
Trading
Repower generates around two thirds of its energy turnover in trading; in 2014 this came to more than 11 terawatt hours.[10] Repower operates on the most important European energy exchanges from a trading floor located across three offices in Poschiavo (Switzerland), Milan (Italy) and Prague (Czech Republic). The group sees itself as an asset-based trader, trading electricity, gas and carbon certificates. Added to this, Repower also markets electricity from renewable resources to large consumers and resellers throughout Europe. On the physical side of the business Repower delivers electricity – part of which is generated by Repower itself, part of which is bought in from outside – to wholesale customers, usually via the high-voltage grid. The company also deals in certificates to deliver environmental value-added to larger end-consumers, independently of the grid. At the wholesale level the group delivers standard products such as base, peak and off-peak, as well as profiles.
Transmission
Repower has played a significant role in increasing cross-border capacity between northern and southern Europe by building the international Bernina Line (380 kV/220 kV), commissioned in 2005 and transferred to the Swiss national grid operator Swissgrid at the beginning of 2013.
In October 2009, Repower joined forces with Edison and the municipality of Tirano to inaugurate the first A/C merchant line in Europe. Repower and the other partners involved have exclusive rights to use the line for another ten years. It runs underground for its entire length between Tirano (Italy) and Campocologno (Switzerland). This 150 kV merchant line increases cross-border transport capacity by 150 MW, helping assure a secure energy supply in Italy and Switzerland. Currently a new 220 kV merchant line between Val Bregaglia (Switzerland) and Italy is being planned.
Sales and distribution
Switzerland
Repower is the leading supplier of electricity in Southeast Switzerland. Its customers range from private households to industrial, commercial and public sector consumers and downstream municipal utilities. Repower’s supply area includes municipalities in the Engadine, Prättigau, Rhine Valley and Surselva areas of Graubünden. Via municipal utilities it supplies customers in the Upper Engadine, Münstertal, Poschiavo Valley, Rhine Valley and Surselva.
Repower’s customers in Switzerland can choose between various different products. The standard product, Aquapower, comes from Swiss hydropower plants. The two renewable products, Purepower (100% Graubünden green power) and Solarpower (100% Graubünden solar power) are both naturemade starcertified, fulfilling stringent environmental quality criteria. And finally, the group sells a low-cost residual mix from Europe labelled Mixpower. An addition to the range is Privapower, an own-use tariff for owners of photovoltaic installations.[11]
Italy
In Italy, Repower is one of the biggest suppliers of electricity and gas to small and medium-sized enterprises and public institutions. It supplies around four per cent of the electricity consumed by this segment. The company serves around 40,000 customers in Italy consuming some 3.8 terawatt hours of electricity, and supplies an additional 15,000 customers with some 200 million cubic metres of gas. Repower has a reputation for high standards of customer service, fostering personal contact with consumers via an extensive network of sales consultants spanning the whole of Italy. Repower develops innovative products tailored to the changing needs of its various customer segments. The range includes green power (VerdeDentro), electric mobility solutions (Palina) and energy efficiency consulting services (eFFettiva).[11]
Germany
In Germany, Repower supplies electricity and gas to medium-sized commercial and industrial customers consuming five gigawatt hours or more per year. The company analyses volumes consumed and load profiles to gear its offering precisely to the specific needs of individual customers. Just as in Italy and Switzerland, Repower also offers green power products in Germany.[11]
Romania
Repower is one of the four largest non-state energy utilities in Romania, working for small and medium-sized business customers consuming between 0.5 and 20 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. Repower’s share of this segment is a good five per cent. In 2013, the company marketed more than 1.3 terawatt hours of electricity in Romania.
In Romania too, Repower offers consumers customised solutions, positioning itself as a reliable, customer-driven electricity supplier with high standards of quality.[11]
External links
References
- 1 2 3 Entry of "Repower AG" in the Graubünden Commercial Register Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- 1 2 Repower Annual Report 2014, p. 5. Retrieved 20154-12-03.
- ↑ Report Annual 2014, p. 6. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
- ↑ . Retrieved 2014-05-13.
- ↑ . Retrieved 2015-07-14.
- ↑ Repower – Lagobianco pumped storage plant. Retrieved 2014-05-14. See also the project website: http://www.lagobianco.com.
- ↑ Repower – Chlus hydropower plant. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
- ↑ Repower – Lucera 2 wind farm. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
- ↑ Repower – Campolattaro pumped storage plant. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
- ↑ Repower – Core competencies and strategy. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
- 1 2 3 4 Repower – Sales. Retrieved 2014-07-21.