Electric utility

An electricity supply companies (including electric utilities, in short electricity provider, electricity provider or local power company ) is a company which ( called historically and colloquially as " electricity " or " current") with electrical energy supplied its customers, that supplies h.

In a narrower sense, only those companies are referred to as electric utilities that supply an end user directly, especially those who operate a distribution network for this purpose. In a broader sense, all companies in the electricity industry, so the entire supply chain from production to trade, transport and distribution to the consumer are included under this term with.

Situation by country

Germany

In Germany you can electricity utilities divide in

• Supra-regional utilities, which also operate high-voltage grids, and
• Regional utilities, which are often subsidiaries of major energy supply companies or public utilities.

According to § 3 No. 18 of the Energy Act are energy companies " natural or legal persons, the energy supply to others, operate a power grid or to have a power supply network as the owner of disposal ". So you take on tasks of production, distribution and sales. These include, in addition to the electricity utilities, natural gas and district heating utilities.

The Energy Act (§ § 6-10 ) requires an unbundling of the so-called vertically integrated utilities in implementation of European Community law.

Vertically integrated electricity utilities are according to the legal definition in § 3 No. 38 of the Energy Act such company or group of companies perceive the electricity use at least one of the functions of transmission or distribution and at least one of the functions of generation or distribution; accordingly lies in the gas sector remains a vertically integrated utility, if the company or the group performing at least one of the functions of transmission, distribution, operation of a liquid natural gas plant or storage, and also one of the functions of production or distribution of natural gas. This means that the network must be legally operating, operational, informational and bookkeeping independently of other activities will be organized in the area of ​​energy supply.

Business

In Germany there are 1150 power company (as of January 2013). Achieve by far the highest sales:

Together dominate the first four about 80 percent of German electricity market (see their network operator role for the four control loops in the power grid ). They were in German composite company, from 2001 to 2007 Association of Network Operators, together. This company worked out the rules for the operation of power plants. Electricity prices in Germany they can vary greatly, with prices mainly in the south- west and east Germany scalable high. However, the price difference is due to different calculations often not apparent at first glance is (eco / Air rates, package rates, special discounts, major and minor time). Due to this fact on the one hand by the price of freedom of primary care, on the other hand also by the quality of links to on regional power grids.

DB Energie supplying vehicles of Deutsche Bahn and other railway companies with single-phase AC frequency 16.7 Hz Since this happens only for railway operation, you do not count it to the actual utility, although it operates an extensive high voltage power line network which and also to Austria leads to Switzerland.

There are also some utilities, the electric power mainly from renewable energy sources ( " green electricity " ) make or distribute. The largest independent from the big utility green power providers are:

All electricity utilities must cooperate in Germany to a high degree. There are numerous high-voltage lines, in which not all cable systems (110 kV, 220 kV and 380 kV) from the same RUs to operate. There are also jointly operated by the RU and the Deutsche Bahn high-voltage lines. The electricity supply companies are well organized; industrial customers as well.

The following are known German Associations:

• Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries ( BDEW)
• Federation of Industrial Energy and Power Industry ( VIK )
• Association of Municipal Utilities (VKU )
• Local energy

Austria

In Austria there are two national producer companies and a number of regional companies that often but are only active as a distributor or electricity traders (see below). They are usually companies with shares of the individual federal states, some (eg EVN, Wien Energie ) also have their own power plants to cover peak demand.

The main generators are:

• Verbund AG
• EVN
• Wien Energie

Traction power

• Austrian Federal Railways

The most important green electricity producers are:

• Alpen Adria natural energy
• Evn naturkraft
• WEB Wind Energy
• Wind power Simonsfeld

The distribution companies are:

• BEWAG - Burgenland
• ENERGIE AG - Upper Austria
• Energy Alliance Austria GmbH - Austria
• Energie Steiermark AG (including STEWEAG -STEG ) - Styria
• EVN - Lower Austria
• KELAG - Carinthia
• Salzburg AG - Salzburg
• TIWAG - Tirol
• FMV - Vorarlberg
• Wien Energie power grid

The TSOs are:

• Austrian Power Grid
• FMV - Vorarlberg

As part of the deregulation of the electricity market entrants have been added, supplying both the end consumers as well as businesses. However, they have no infrastructure. The wind power plants expansion occurs concentrated in the north and east of Austria. In January 2006, about 800 MW were installed. 2009 was built a single new wind turbine in Austria; Austria 's European taillight.

Switzerland

The big electricity companies in Switzerland are:

• Axpo Holding ( Axpo ) Axpo Power AG formerly Northeast Kraftwerke ( NOK)
• Axpo Services AG
• Axpo Trading AG formerly Electricity Company Laufenburg ( EGL)
• Central Swiss power plants (CHC )

• Aare -Tessin Ltd. for Electricity ( Atel)
• EOS Holding ( EOS )

The Swiss electricity companies are organized large majority of the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies.