The shareholders in the infrastructure fund managed by Commerz Real, which holds a stake of approximately 75 percent in the ultra-high-voltage network operated by Amprion GmbH, have, as scheduled, paid in additional equity capital totalling approximately 300 million euros.
Amprion GmbH functions as an independent transmission operator (ITO) as defined in the European unbundling requirements. In the coming years the ultra-high-voltage network is to be extended and upgraded to guarantee the system security of the network. Thus Amprion is fulfilling an important prerequisite for the integration of renewable sources in the German power grid.
For this reason Amprion GmbH is planning to extend and strengthen the supergrid on a length of 2,300 kilometres through to 2024. Together with the supplementary equity capital payment from RWE AG as an additional shareholder, Amprion GmbH now has fresh capital of 400 million euros available for the financing of the further upgrading of the network.
“In the wake of the energy transition in Germany, efficient transport of electricity is of major importance. The growth in renewable energies places particular requirements on the transmission networks. With the provision of additional capital our financially strong community of investors has created a solid long-term planning and realization foundation for this,” says Dr. Frank Henes, the board member of Commerz Real AG responsible for institutional investment products. “Our objective is that of allowing institutional investors to also participate in the regulated, stable cash flows in Germany from infrastructure projects through other projects of this kind.”
With a current length of some 11,000 kilometres and around 160 switching and transformer stations between Lower Saxony and the Swiss and Austrian borders Amprion GmbH operates the largest supergrid in Germany (220 kV and 380 kV). It links the power stations with the major consumption areas, and at the same time is an important element in the transmission network in Germany and Europe. It supplies an area covering more than 73,000 km2 with a population of more 27 million.
13 institutional investors hold a stake of 74.9 percent in Amprion GmbH through an infrastructure fund managed by Commerz Real. The remaining shares are held by the former sole owner RWE.
