Seeking an energy holy trinity
Jan 10th 2007
From Economist.com
1 NEELIE KROES, the European Unions competition commissioner, did not mince her words when reporting on Europes energy markets on Wednesday January 10th. Europes energy firms have failed to invest in networks and so customers are suffering. Those vertically integrated energy companies such as Electricit de France or Germanys E.ON, widely dubbed as national champions, are effectively behaving like local monopolies. Shy of competition, eager for artificially high prices, they are helping to block the efficient generation, transmission and distribution of energy on the continent.
2 Energy prices vary wildly across Europe. Ms Kroes wants to see cheaper energy, and intends to push suppliers to divest their distribution network and to get them to invest more in transportation systems so that more energyin the form of gas, or electricity, for examplecan flow easily over borders. It is remarkably hard, for example, for gas-poor Germany to import from the neighbouring, gas-rich Netherlands. Companies that dominate national markets have, so far, had little interest in improving the interconnections which would mean lower prices for consumers across the continent.
3 Ms Kroes, of course, will struggle to get her way. The European Commission, which on the same day presented its recommendation for improving EU energy policy, also wants to see the unbundling of ownership, the legal separation of energy suppliers and transporters, something that the integrated energy companies and interested governments, notably in France and Germany, are bound to oppose ferociously.
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