German utilities: E.ON and E.OUT

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UK Only Article: 
standard article

Issue: 

Sheikhs v shale

Fly Title: 

German utilities

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A German power-producer is breaking itself up to face the future

Location: 

BERLIN

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Spot the nuclear off switch

Spot the nuclear off switch

FOR many Germans, E.ON, the country’s biggest utility, is a symbol of stability. But on November 30th it surprised by announcing it would split itself up. In 2016 it will float a new company which will include its power generation from nuclear and fossil fuels, as well as fossil-fuel exploration and production. The rump—which will keep the E.ON brand—will make money from renewable energy, distribution and “customer solutions”, a grab-bag of offerings such as advice, smart-metering and the like. The firm’s boss, Johannes Teyssen, said that as a sprawling integrated utility E.ON could only be “mediocre”. Two focused ones would do a much better job.
Germany’s Energiewende, or “energy …

Source: Utilities