The European Commission has approved SEFE’s acquisition of the outstanding 50.02 per cent of the shares in WIGA held by the previous joint venture partner Wintershall Dea. SEFE is now taking over WIGA in full as sole shareholder.
In March 2024 the European Commission had already authorised the necessary amendment under state aid law.
“The European Commission's green light for SEFE as the sole shareholder of WIGA marks a milestone for our growth strategy,” said Reinhard Gorenflos, Chairman of SEFE's Supervisory Board, welcoming the decision. “The pipeline network is crucial for European energy security; it’s crucial for competitive transportation services for natural gas and, in the future, hydrogen.”
“This transaction underlines the strategic importance of the energy transition. With a high-performance infrastructure, we will be able to support the future transport of climate-neutral gases such as hydrogen from production sites to industrial centres,” added Dr Egbert Laege, CEO of SEFE.
WIGA owns the gas network operators GASCADE Gastransport GmbH (GASCADE) and NEL Gastransport GmbH (NGT), which together have more than 500 employees and operate networks in Germany with a combined length of around 4,150 kilometres. GASCADE and NGT will continue to operate independently.
“The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price,” explains Dr Christian Ohlms, CFO of SEFE. “This transaction strengthens our asset base and will significantly help us to continue developing SEFE in a financially stable manner for the long term.”
About SEFE
SEFE, an international energy company, ensures the security of supply and drives the decarbonisation of its customers. SEFE’s activities span the energy value chain, from origination and trading to sales, transport and storage. Through its decades-long expertise in trading and the development of its LNG business, SEFE has become one of the most important suppliers to industrial customers in Europe, with an annual sales volume of 200 TWh of gas and power. Its 50,000 customers range from small businesses to municipalities and multinational organisations. By investing in clean energies and especially in the hydrogen ecosystem, SEFE is contributing to the energy transition. The company employs around 2,000 people globally and is owned by the Federal Government of Germany.
Securing energy – now and for the future.
Weiterführende Informationen:
www.gascade.de/en/
www.nel-gastransport.de/en/
