The wave of remunicipalisation of energy networks and supply in Germany – the establishment of 72 new municipal power utilities

摘要

After a wave of privatizations in the end of the 1990s, the electricalpower supply of many municipalities in Germany hasbeen returned into public hands. Many municipalities discoverchances and possibilities for local action, which arisewith remunicipalisation. The local policy-makers realize thatremunicipalisation offers the opportunity of implementing anindependent energy policy at local level which is critical increating a transformation to a sustainable energy system basedon energy efficiency and renewable energies. The municipalownership allows a strong governance towards more politicalinfluence in the local energy market. In addition, there isa clear opinion of the population: 81 % of citizens surveyedsay they trust their local municipal utility, compared to only26 % who say they trust corporations (VKU-Survey, 2010).In summary, there are many good reasons for local politiciansto establish their own municipal utilities. The paybackfor municipalities is tangible when the local utility focuses onreliably providing affordable energy rather than on increasingits returns. The new municipal power utilities stimulate competitionand contribute to the renewal / restructuring of thetraditional energy market.The founding of 72 municipal utilities since 2005 leads usto ask for the reasons. The study reviews the German trendtowards municipal ownership of local utilities, assessing theirperformance based on 10 targets related to the energy transition,climate protection, and the local economic impact:1. Achieving environmental objectives and organization of thelocal “Energiewende”.2. Higher local added value.3. Harnessing tax regulations for improving municipal services.4. Improving the income situation of the city.5. Democratization of supply and stronger orientation towardsthe common good (public value).6. Creating and protecting good jobs.7. Acting in social responsibility in energy supply.8. Expansion of eco-efficient energy services.9. Harnessing customer relations and public image.10. Materialising synergies with other sectors.Based on expert opinions, the study finds out that the likelihoodof these targets being reached is “high to very high”. Theaim of this article is to provide a compact and basic understandingof the possible reasons for the phenomenon of remunicipalisation.