Berlin energy referendum, 2013

The referendum on the municipal ownership of the Berlin Energy supply is a failed referendum, voted on November 3, 2013, the State of Berlin; he sought the re- transfer of the Berlin electricity network in municipal ownership of ( remunicipalisation ) and the creation of a municipal utility. The Berlin mains operated since its privatization and the expiry of the current license December 31, 2014 by Vattenfall.

The coveted bill failed gimmicky in the vote and was due to his not accepted. While it voted 83 percent of the voting participants with Yes, but the quorum of 25 percent of all voters fell just short with 24.1 percent. Thus, 21 374 missing votes for a successful outcome.

• 2.1 Overview
• 2.2 In detail 2.2.1 Ecological content
• 2.2.2 Social content
• 2.2.3 Democratic contents

Background

Sponsorship

A coalition of about 50 organizations, the Berlin Energy table, conveying the original petition and the upcoming referendum. These include the Berlin sections of Attac, the Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany, the Green League, the People's Solidarity and the teachers' union as well as local organizations such as the Berlin tenant association, the Berlin community of tenants and organized in the Interventionist Left group for a left flow. The Alliance sees itself as non-partisan, it is, however, supported by the Berlin association of the SPD, Greens, Left, pirates and ODP.

The carriers cite as grounds that climate change could not yet be effectively countered. Therefore is a fundamental energy transition required both in energy production and consumption. This must be done in a socially acceptable because of rising energy prices was increasing the energy poverty. After the negative experiences with the partial privatization of Landesbank Berlin and the Berlin Water Works, the carrier also maintain a high degree of democratic control necessary.

History and referendum

1997 sold the land Berlin his majority of least 50.7 percent of the municipal electricity utilities Bewag to an industrial consortium. After several re-sales Bewag has risen in Vattenfall. The operating business was spun off and divided in a second step. The Berlin-based distribution was transferred to Vattenfall Europe Distribution Berlin GmbH, customer service and sales were transferred to two companies based in Hamburg.

In the summer of 2011, the Berlin Energy table formed on the successful model of the Berlin water table with the goal of organizing power in Berlin to democratic, ecological and social criteria. 2012 took the initiative, the formal barriers to the initiation of a referendum: Under the former title New Energy for Berlin - democratic, ecologically, socially 30,660 valid signatures were collected until July 3. In an opinion dated August 14, the Berlin Senate expressed concerns substantive, legal objections to the admissibility but were not charged. After the House of Representatives had not taken on the project within the statutory time limit set, the initiative sought the implementation of the referendum. In this case, the title of the referendum was changed to the present.

On January 25, 2013, the referendum in the Official Journal for Berlin was announced. From 11 February to 10 June 2013 had to collect about 174,000 valid signatures, the initiative. The people Behren was successful, because by the end of the registration period gathered 271 496 signatures; 227 748 of them were valid. After successful referendum, the date for the referendum on the November 3, 2013 has been set, although an amalgamation of the referendum with the federal election on September 22, 2013 would have been possible. The energy table as the initiator of the referendum expressed the belief that the Senate hope that the referendum will fail in this way on approval quorum.

Parallel to the referendum and the people communication from the Senate (but not desired by the energy table bases ) strained the creation of a municipal utility, and announced his intention to compete in the tender for the concession of the electricity and gas network, both as pure self- applicants as well as as a cooperation partner for possible third candidate. On October 24, just ten days before the referendum, the Berlin House of Representatives approved the establishment of the municipal utility announced under the auspices of the Berlin Water Works with the votes of the SPD and CDU. The opposition criticized the short set-in vote; neither had been given to Parliament in the run- sufficient time for consultation, nor is the funding of the project clarified. In addition, consider the version of such a decision so close to a referendum on the same topic as " gross disrespect of the sovereignty of the people ". The Berlin Energy Initiative table criticized the decision, spoke of a " Abfanggesetz " and the creation of a " mini- city work ," the " tactical target [ serve ], the referendum to take alone the wind out of the sails ".

Content of the referendum

Overview

Was taken on the draft of the Law for the democratic, ecological and social power in Berlin ( energy VG), which pursues the following objectives mainly:

• Construction of public utilities as a public institution to generate electricity from renewable sources and to use energy savings
• To take over the establishment of a network society as a public institution with the aim of the power grids 1 January 2015
• Countering energy poverty (energy poverty is lack of access to affordable energy services )
• Creation of democratic participation opportunities through direct election of the Board of Directors, the right of initiative and meetings

In detail

The bill proposes to establish municipal utilities, and a network society as an institution under public law. End, the power company should be taking over the power grids on 1 January 2015. When a state-owned operation is successful in the current contract is for the power grid, will rise in the new network society this operation. The city works to contribute to the long-term energy supply of Berlin takes place entirely from locally generated renewable energy. In addition, the bill also includes social and democratic requirements.

Ecological content

The city works to produce and market renewable energy. They should also be an integrated energy service provider that also uses energy saving and Private advises on projects to save energy and distributed generation of renewable energy.

The produced and distributed energy should come from 100 percent renewable sources. For this, the city works to build distributed generation capacity. Also highly efficient combined heat and power plants are to be permitted for a transitional period.

The network company should provide in addition to the operation of the network in its expansion in accordance with the production and consumption patterns changing. In particular, they should allow the rapid connection and the connection of renewable energies.

Social content

The city plants are in addition to the supply of the inhabitants obtained with energy also has the task of counteracting energy poverty. Power cuts are to be prevented. The city works to ensure a socially acceptable form of energy performance of buildings and encourage the purchase of fuel-efficient household appliances to low income households.

Allen previously in network operations employees, the acquisition is expected to be offered by the network company to be founded. The existing collective agreements and works agreements are to be copied. The number of employees to remain stable during the term of the concession contract.

Democratic contents

The bill contains several provisions on public participation and transparency:

Direct election of the Board of Directors

Public utilities and grid company will be controlled respectively by a 15- member Board of Directors. This should each of the economic and environmental senator and seven representatives of employees belong, also six Directors who are directly elected by all registered in Berlin residents.

For initiative

The bill provides direct influence between the ballots for the Population: An initiative may ask to be heard by the Board, when it submits 3,000 signatures. The Board must then decide within three months on the proposal. Will 5000 signatures submitted for a concern, the Directors are required to carry out a customer survey, whose results but is not mandatory.

Meetings

For the State of Berlin as well as in each district shall be at least once a year a meeting to discuss the affairs of the city works and the network society take place. Recommendations of the meetings must be treated within three months by the Board. On the initiative of the population, other meetings may be convened.

Ombudsperson

Public utilities and grid company should each appoint an ombudsman serves as an appeal body for customers and employees.

Transparency

The bill seeks to broad transparency. Meetings of the Board shall be public. In particular, the agenda of the meetings, decisions taken as well as reports by the management on the Internet to publish.

Opinion the Senate of Berlin and the Berlin House of Representatives

Both the Berlin Senate as well as the House of Representatives ( by a vote of the governing coalition of SPD and CDU) recommended the rejection of the referendum. In its opinion, the Berlin Senate held the bill put to the vote " in essential parts for obsolete and in other parts of wrong." In particular, three arguments have been made:

For a significant liability risks for the Berlin budget be identified. The proposed creation of a municipal utility as an institution under public law ( ipc ) Berlin would be directly and fully liable, as opposed to acting in accordance with the Berlin business law state-owned enterprises such as the BSR or the Berlin transport company. In addition, the control of the created company was deficient as the supervision of the Board of Directors successes, which in turn could set yourself remuneration and liability computationally Tilche relief. The composition of the Board, in which only two senators would represent the public scrutiny by elected officials, was criticized. MPs have no seat in these supervisory bodies, insofar as the liability carrier would not be adequately represented. Together with the comprehensive funding commitments that were made ​​in the concept put to the vote, the design is considered to be loss- prone since the proposed municipal utility uneconomic action was allowed.

Berlin had also already established a network operation, so far as the establishment of another network operator is superfluous. The State Office Berlin energy plays a part, since 2012 at the current contract is for the Berlin mains, a newly established institution could no longer participate in this process. At this point, was also questioned the extent to which a merger through establishing the city work with the already existing network society is possible, as she pulled the energy table to rebut this argument into consideration.

The bill also improves the energy table not the environmental and climate change policy. Due to federal law regulations network operators have to grant non-discriminatory network access to each company. Even if the state of Berlin buy the network, ie nuclear or coal power would be passed through the Berlin network. The objective pursued by the energy table exclusive supply of Berlin with green electricity ignore this fact. It should also be the goal of the citizens' initiative to make the Berlin Energy network fit for the introduction of decentralized renewable electricity, already applicable rules and would be implemented accordingly.

Result of the vote

There was most support of the referendum in the district of Friedrichshain- Kreuzberg ( 92.9 %); the least agreement came from the district Reinickendorf ( 73.3 %). The highest voter turnout, the district of Friedrichshain- Kreuzberg ( 36.9 % ), while the borough of Marzahn - Heller village ( 23.3 %) has recorded the lowest participation.