Difference between revisions of "RWE Group"

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==Nuclear operator==
 
==Nuclear operator==
 
   
 
   
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RWE Power has been operating nuclear power stations since the beginning of the 1960s. Currently, nuclear energy provides around 28% per cent of Germany's electricity needs. RWE Power owns the Biblis nuclear power plant, which is home to two PWRs [Biblis A – 1167MW opened in 1974 and Biblis B – 1240MW opened in 1976].
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RWE generated 34.3 billion KWh of electricity from nuclear power stations in the financial year 2011-12, compared with 45.2 the year before. All the nuclear stations are in Germany.
  
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RWE also owns 87.5% of the Emsland nuclear power station (the other 12.5% is owned by [[Eon]]) which has a 1329MW PWR which opened in 1988.  
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RWE Power has been operating nuclear power stations since the beginning of the 1960s. It owns the Biblis nuclear power plant, which is home to two PWRs [Biblis A – 1167MW opened in 1974 and Biblis B – 1240MW opened in 1976]. Both these reactors were shut after the March 2011 Fukushima accident.  
  
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Finally RWE owns 75% of the Gundremmingen nuclear power facility (25% [[Eon]]) which houses 2 BWRs (Gundremmingen b – 1284MW and Gundremmingen C – 1288MW – both opened in 1984). Altogether this gives RWE an installed and operational nuclear power station capacity of some 5,700 MW. <ref>[http://www.rwe.com/app/Mediencenter/Detailansicht.aspx?Mandant=rwe_holding&mID=1042&catID=10 Presentation by Dr. Hartmut Lauer] on August 23, 2006, at Biblis Nuclear Power Plant for a RWE Power AG, Investor Meeting in Biblis.</ref>
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RWE also owns 87.5% of the Emsland nuclear power station (the other 12.5% is owned by [[Eon]]) which has a 1329MW PWR which opened in 1988. Under the German nuclear phase-out Emsland is due to close in 2022.
  
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Under the German phase-out law, RWE can operate Biblis A & B until about 2012 and Emsland until at least 2020. Pending provision of a permanent storage facility by the federal government in 2030, spent fuel elements are now stored at the power plants. <ref>[http://www.rwe.com/generator.aspx/rwe-power-icw/company/locations/nuclear-power-plants/language=en/id=264038/nuclear-power-plants.html RWE Power website]: Nuclear Power Plants. </ref>
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Finally RWE owns 75% of the Gundremmingen nuclear power facility (25% [[Eon]]) which houses 2 BWRs (Gundremmingen B – 1284MW and Gundremmingen C – 1288MW – commercial operation started in 1984 and 1985 respectively). Under the German phase-out these reactors are due to close in 2017 and 2021 respectively.
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Renewables
 
  
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Like most utilities, RWE declares its support for renewable energy, but Harry Roels, the outgoing chief executive, has made it clear that he believes Europe will need nuclear power and clean coal to avoid too much dependency on imported fuel. By 2020, the European Commission wants 20 percent of all electricity generated in Europe to come from renewables. RWE says it wants to make a major contribution to this. In Germany alone, some 60,000 MW of generating capacity will need to be replaced as it reaches the end of its life and nuclear stations are phased out. RWE says it will have to replace half of its installed capacity.
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Altogether this gives RWE an installed nuclear capacity of some 3901MW. <ref> [http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf43.html Nuclear Power in Germany], World Nuclear Association Country Briefing August 2012, accessed 3rd September 2012.</ref>
  
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In the UK, RWE npower built the first offshore wind farm at North Hoyle off the coast of North Wales. <ref>[http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/contentlookup.cfm?CFID=712028&CFTOKEN=90306941&ucidparam=20031119163614&MenuPoint=D-B-C ''Switch on for UK’s first offshore windfarm''], Greenpeace Press Release, 19 November, 2003.</ref> RWE npower, is also investigating the feasibility of building a new type of wave power plant off the coast of Siadar, a small village on the Isle of Lewis. Located in a breakwater-type structure, the electricity turbines would be driven by airstreams created by the waves. The demonstration project could have a capacity of three to four megawatts. <ref>[http://www.rwe.com/generator.aspx/investorrelations/financial-reports/reports-2006/property=Data/id=423018/ar-2006.pdf RWE Annual Report 2006] p. 136.</ref>
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The disposal of radioactive waste (low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste) and the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (high-level radioactive waste) are overseen and controlled by the relevant regulatory authorities. Radioactive by-products are taken to authorised interim storage facilities. Spent fuel rods generally spend several years in the power station’s own spent fuel pool and are then stored in a “castor” storage container on the power station premises, pending the provision of an authorised final repository. <ref> [http://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/535826/cr-report-2010/cr-areas-for-action/environmental-protection/plant-operations/nuclear-power-stations/ Nuclear power stations], undated, RWE website, accessed 3rd September 2012.</ref>
  
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RWE says onshore wind power has almost run out of options in Germany, but the company plans to expand its capacity offshore in the Irish Sea and onshore in Spain and France.
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==Nuclear in the U.K.==
  
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==New nukes==
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In January 2009 RWE npower formed a joint venture with [[E.ON]] UK, called [[Horizon Nuclear Power]], with the aim of developing up to 6600 MW of new nuclear power station capacity at Wylfa on Anglesey and Oldbury in Gloucestershire. <ref> [http://www.horizonnuclearpower.com/ Horizon Nuclear Power website], undated, accessed 3rd September 2012.</ref> Three years later, following the conclusion of separate strategic reviews in March 2012, both E.ON and RWE announced their intention to withdraw from UK nuclear and seek new owners for Horizon. <ref> [http://npowermediacentre.com/Press-Releases/RWE-npower-announces-strategic-review-of-Horizon-Nuclear-Power-1137.aspx RWE npower announces strategic review of Horizon nuclear power], RWE Press Release 29th March 2012, accessed 3rd September 2012.</ref>
  
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In February 2007, [[Eon]] AND RWE, were reported to be on the point of striking a deal with [[Westinghouse]], to work together on Britain’s next generation of nuclear power stations. According to internal documents seen by the Business Magazine, the three companies are pushing to finalise an agreement before the publication of the Government’s energy white paper. The combined approach will be the first time all three power companies have come together to work on a project and is an indication of the role consortia could play in the construction of the next generation of UK power stations. As part of the agreement, the companies will submit a joint application for a licence for Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactor design, which will cost as much as £2bn ($3.9bn, E3bn) each to build. The deal could then be extended to include joint applications for a licence for a particular site and eventually stretch to constructing a new power plant in a consortium. The white paper is expected to trigger licence applications from the world’s leading nuclear power plant designers: France’s [[Areva]], which designs the European pressurised reactor; [[Westinghouse]]; [[GE Energy]]; and [[Atomic Energy Canada Ltd]]. <ref>Richard Orange, [http://thebusinessonline.com/Document.aspx?id=D15F0182-2990-4426-A78D-8E9C06A21D3F Power trio set to agree joint UK nuclear bid]. ''The Business'', 21 February, 2007.</ref>
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In July 2012 it emerged that RWE had colluded with government officials to soften the impact of their withdrawal from Horizon on the UK’s new nuclear programme. <ref> Rob Edwards, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/19/emails-nuclear-power Emails reveal UK Government's moves to protect nuclear power from bad news], Guardian, 19th July 2012, accessed 3rd September 2012.</ref>
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However [[Westinghouse]] said the report that it had formed a consortium with RWE and [[Eon]] was merely speculation. The Company said it was involved in talks "with all utilities interested in new European nuclear construction". <ref>''Platts Nuclear News Flashes'', 22 February, 2007.</ref>
 
  
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==UK expansion plans==
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==RWE and Renewables==
  
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In the UK, RWE npower is planning to build two new Combined Cycles Gas Turbine plants at Pembroke and Staythorpe (Nottinghamshire). The Company also plans to invest £100m in three new wind farms with a capacity of around 100MW. But if the government gives the go-ahead to new nuclear plants and there is "social acceptance" it could get involved in new nuclear build in the UK. Rumours that RWE might try to buy [[Scottish and Southern Energy]], however, have been denied. <ref>David Gow, [http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2019999,00.html RWE rule out bid for Scottish and Southern Energy], ''The Guardian'', 23 February, 2007. </ref>
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By 2020 RWE wants at least 20 % of its generation capacity to be accounted for by renewables. At the end of 2011 they accounted for 8% of RWE’s capacity. RWE’s Chief Executive designate Peter Terium told journalists in June 2012 that the company is pulling out of nuclear because “the financial risk is no longer acceptable and is unreasonable for our shareholders”.  He also said the company plans to suspend until further notice any fossil-fuelled power plants because of uncertainty over the German energy policy. <ref> Ross, K. [http://www.powerengineeringint.com/articles/2012/06/rwe-quits-nuclear-and-puts-all-fossil-fuel-plants-on-hold0.html RWE quits nuclear and puts all fossil fuel plants on hold], Power Engineering International 18th June 2012, accessed 3rd September 2012.</ref>
  
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The Company itself has been the subject of takeover speculation with Gazprom, the Russia Gas group seen as a possible predator. The company is seeking to tap into privatisation programmes as they emerge in Eastern European countries including Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. <ref>Joe Bolger, [http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/utilities/article1428776.ece RWE douses speculation that it plans Scottish & Southern Energy bid], ''The Times'', 23 February, 2007. </ref>
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RWE’s renewables generating capacity rose from some 2,500 MW at the end of 2009 to 3,744 MW at the close of 2011. Expansion of renewable energy mainly by RWE Innogy should be generating a total of 4,500 MW by the end of 2014. RWE Innogy is currently developing renewables projects with a total output of 13,900 MW. RWE says offshore wind energy holds the greatest potential for expansion over the next few years. Current capacity amounting to 150 MW in operation will be increased by a further 892 MW at Gwynt y Môr (Wales), Greater Gabbard (Suffolk) and North Sea East (Germany).
  
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RWE is a member of the [[European Atomic Forum]] (Foratom)
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RWE currently has group-wide biomass capacity of more than 1,100 MW, including in the UK the Tilbury power plant which was converted to run entirely on biomass at the end of 2011. Tilbury is now one of the world’s biggest biomass plants with a capacity of 742 MW. According to RWE the wood is from sustainable sources, mainly from an RWE wood pellet factory in Georgia (USA).
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RWE has a 12.8% stake in the Andasol 3 solar thermal power station in Southern Spain which will come on stream in 2012. It hopes that this will help with future projects in North Africa run by the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII). DII was established in 2009 by 20 companies including RWE and 35 other partners from a total of 14 countries are participating. <ref> [http://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/1283978/cr-report-2011/cr-areas-for-action/climate-protection/renewables/ Renewables], undated, RWE website, accessed 4th Sept 2012. </ref>
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==RWE npower==
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RWE npower joined the RWE Group in 2002. It operates and manages an installed capacity of about 12 GW generating about 10% of the electricity consumed in the UK. It supplies just over 6.6 million customers with electricity and gas, corresponding to a share of approximately 13% of the market.  In November 2010 RWE commissioned Staythorpe, a 1,650 MW combined cycle gas fired power station. In 2012 another gas-fired power station, (2,188 MW), will go online at Pembroke. <ref> [http://www.rwe.com/web/cms/mediablob/en/1461492/data/1029638/2/rwe/about-rwe/rwe-group/Facts-Figures-2011.pdf Facts and Figures 2011], undated RWE website, accessed 4th September 2012.</ref>
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==Affiliations==
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RWE is a member of the European Atomic Forum (Foratom)
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==Executive Board==
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[[Peter Terium]] Chief Executive Officer of RWE AG
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[[Dr Rolf Martin Schmitz]] Deputy CEO of RWE AG
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[[Dr Rolf Pohlig]] RWE AG Board Member
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[[Dr Leonhard Birnbaum]] RWE AG Board Member
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[[Alwin Fitting]] RWE AG Board Member
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[[Dr Bernard Gunther]] RWE AG Board Member
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[[Volker Beckers]] RWE npower CEO
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[[Dr Frank Weigand]] RWE npower Chief Financial Officer
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[[Kevin McCullough]] RWE npower Chief Operating Officer
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[[Paul Massara]] RWE npower Chief Commercial Officer
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[[Alison Cole]] RWE npower Director of Communications
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==PR and lobbying==
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*[PPS Group]] and [[Rosemary]] Grogan provided public affairs consultancy services for RWE Npower Renewables up to May 2012. <ref> Association of Professional Political Consultants, APPC Register Entry for 1 Mar 2012 to 31 May 2012 </ref>
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Weber Shandwick - provided public affairs consultancy services for RWE Npower up to May 2012. <ref> Association of Professional Political Consultants, APPC Register Entry for 1 Mar 2012 to 31 May 2012 </ref>
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*[[FTI Consulting]] were listed as providing public relations services by the register of consultant lobbyists in 2015. <ref>[https://registerofconsultantlobbyists.force.com/CLR_Public_Profile?id=00124000006ZigqAAC FTI Consulting profile 2016], ''parliament.uk'', accessed 29 April 2016</ref>
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
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[[Category: Nuclear Spin]][[Category: Nuclear Spin: Countries]]
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[[Category: Nuclear Spin]]
 
[[Category:pro-nuclear companies]]
 
[[Category:pro-nuclear companies]]
 
[[Category:Civil nuclear industry]]
 
[[Category:Civil nuclear industry]]
 
[[Category:Nuclear Spin: Germany]]
 
[[Category:Nuclear Spin: Germany]]

Latest revision as of 12:09, 29 April 2016

Nuclear spin.png This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

Introduction

RWE is one of Europe’s five leading electricity and gas companies and is the No. 1 power producer in Germany, No. 2 in the Netherlands and No. 3 in the UK. The company is also expanding in Central Eastern and South Eastern Europe. [1]

RWE has 72,000 employees; it supplies almost 17 million customers with electricity and nearly 8 million customers with gas. In the financial year 2011-12 the company generated just below €52 billion in revenue. RWE says it is one of Europe’s biggest investors in offshore wind farms. [2] RWE Group had an electricity generating capacity of 49.2GW in the financial year 2011-12 generating 205.7 billion kWh.

Seven divisions

RWE Group is divided into seven main divisions based on geographic and functional criteria:

RWE Germany: including RWE Power, Germany’s largest electricity generator, which generates electricity mainly from coal, gas and nuclear fuel. Lignite is produced by RWE Power through in-house mining activities; also including RWE Deutschland which oversees sales and distribution network operations.

Netherlands/Belgium: By acquiring Essent with effect from 30 September 2009, RWE has become a leading energy utility in the Benelux region. Essent generates electricity from gas, hard coal and biomass and holds a minority stake in Borssele, the only nuclear power station in the Netherlands.

RWE npower: Is the UK’s third largest energy utility. The company generates electricity from gas, hard coal, oil and biomass. Furthermore, RWE npower sells electricity and gas to end-customers.

RWE East: This division contains companies in Central Eastern and South Eastern Europe - the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Turkey.

RWE Innogy: This division specialises in electricity and heat production from renewable sources.

RWE Dea: This division produces gas and oil, focusing on Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway and Egypt.

RWE Supply & Trading: This division is responsible for our energy trading activities and most of our gas midstream business. Furthermore, the division supplies major German industrial and corporate customers with electricity and gas. [3]

Nuclear operator

RWE generated 34.3 billion KWh of electricity from nuclear power stations in the financial year 2011-12, compared with 45.2 the year before. All the nuclear stations are in Germany.

RWE Power has been operating nuclear power stations since the beginning of the 1960s. It owns the Biblis nuclear power plant, which is home to two PWRs [Biblis A – 1167MW opened in 1974 and Biblis B – 1240MW opened in 1976]. Both these reactors were shut after the March 2011 Fukushima accident.

RWE also owns 87.5% of the Emsland nuclear power station (the other 12.5% is owned by Eon) which has a 1329MW PWR which opened in 1988. Under the German nuclear phase-out Emsland is due to close in 2022.

Finally RWE owns 75% of the Gundremmingen nuclear power facility (25% Eon) which houses 2 BWRs (Gundremmingen B – 1284MW and Gundremmingen C – 1288MW – commercial operation started in 1984 and 1985 respectively). Under the German phase-out these reactors are due to close in 2017 and 2021 respectively.

Altogether this gives RWE an installed nuclear capacity of some 3901MW. [4]

The disposal of radioactive waste (low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste) and the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (high-level radioactive waste) are overseen and controlled by the relevant regulatory authorities. Radioactive by-products are taken to authorised interim storage facilities. Spent fuel rods generally spend several years in the power station’s own spent fuel pool and are then stored in a “castor” storage container on the power station premises, pending the provision of an authorised final repository. [5]

Nuclear in the U.K.

In January 2009 RWE npower formed a joint venture with E.ON UK, called Horizon Nuclear Power, with the aim of developing up to 6600 MW of new nuclear power station capacity at Wylfa on Anglesey and Oldbury in Gloucestershire. [6] Three years later, following the conclusion of separate strategic reviews in March 2012, both E.ON and RWE announced their intention to withdraw from UK nuclear and seek new owners for Horizon. [7]

In July 2012 it emerged that RWE had colluded with government officials to soften the impact of their withdrawal from Horizon on the UK’s new nuclear programme. [8]

RWE and Renewables

By 2020 RWE wants at least 20 % of its generation capacity to be accounted for by renewables. At the end of 2011 they accounted for 8% of RWE’s capacity. RWE’s Chief Executive designate Peter Terium told journalists in June 2012 that the company is pulling out of nuclear because “the financial risk is no longer acceptable and is unreasonable for our shareholders”. He also said the company plans to suspend until further notice any fossil-fuelled power plants because of uncertainty over the German energy policy. [9]

RWE’s renewables generating capacity rose from some 2,500 MW at the end of 2009 to 3,744 MW at the close of 2011. Expansion of renewable energy mainly by RWE Innogy should be generating a total of 4,500 MW by the end of 2014. RWE Innogy is currently developing renewables projects with a total output of 13,900 MW. RWE says offshore wind energy holds the greatest potential for expansion over the next few years. Current capacity amounting to 150 MW in operation will be increased by a further 892 MW at Gwynt y Môr (Wales), Greater Gabbard (Suffolk) and North Sea East (Germany).

RWE currently has group-wide biomass capacity of more than 1,100 MW, including in the UK the Tilbury power plant which was converted to run entirely on biomass at the end of 2011. Tilbury is now one of the world’s biggest biomass plants with a capacity of 742 MW. According to RWE the wood is from sustainable sources, mainly from an RWE wood pellet factory in Georgia (USA).

RWE has a 12.8% stake in the Andasol 3 solar thermal power station in Southern Spain which will come on stream in 2012. It hopes that this will help with future projects in North Africa run by the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII). DII was established in 2009 by 20 companies including RWE and 35 other partners from a total of 14 countries are participating. [10]


RWE npower

RWE npower joined the RWE Group in 2002. It operates and manages an installed capacity of about 12 GW generating about 10% of the electricity consumed in the UK. It supplies just over 6.6 million customers with electricity and gas, corresponding to a share of approximately 13% of the market. In November 2010 RWE commissioned Staythorpe, a 1,650 MW combined cycle gas fired power station. In 2012 another gas-fired power station, (2,188 MW), will go online at Pembroke. [11]

Affiliations

RWE is a member of the European Atomic Forum (Foratom)

Executive Board

Peter Terium Chief Executive Officer of RWE AG

Dr Rolf Martin Schmitz Deputy CEO of RWE AG

Dr Rolf Pohlig RWE AG Board Member

Dr Leonhard Birnbaum RWE AG Board Member

Alwin Fitting RWE AG Board Member

Dr Bernard Gunther RWE AG Board Member

Volker Beckers RWE npower CEO

Dr Frank Weigand RWE npower Chief Financial Officer

Kevin McCullough RWE npower Chief Operating Officer

Paul Massara RWE npower Chief Commercial Officer

Alison Cole RWE npower Director of Communications

PR and lobbying

  • [PPS Group]] and Rosemary Grogan provided public affairs consultancy services for RWE Npower Renewables up to May 2012. [12]

Weber Shandwick - provided public affairs consultancy services for RWE Npower up to May 2012. [13]

  • FTI Consulting were listed as providing public relations services by the register of consultant lobbyists in 2015. [14]

Notes

  1. ↑ Short facts about RWE , undated, RWE website, accessed 3rd September 2012.
  2. ↑ The RWE Group, undated, RWE website, accessed 3rd September 2012.
  3. ↑ RWE: Starting new chapters – Annual Report 2011, accessed 3rd September 2012.
  4. ↑ Nuclear Power in Germany, World Nuclear Association Country Briefing August 2012, accessed 3rd September 2012.
  5. ↑ Nuclear power stations, undated, RWE website, accessed 3rd September 2012.
  6. ↑ Horizon Nuclear Power website, undated, accessed 3rd September 2012.
  7. ↑ RWE npower announces strategic review of Horizon nuclear power, RWE Press Release 29th March 2012, accessed 3rd September 2012.
  8. ↑ Rob Edwards, Emails reveal UK Government's moves to protect nuclear power from bad news, Guardian, 19th July 2012, accessed 3rd September 2012.
  9. ↑ Ross, K. RWE quits nuclear and puts all fossil fuel plants on hold, Power Engineering International 18th June 2012, accessed 3rd September 2012.
  10. ↑ Renewables, undated, RWE website, accessed 4th Sept 2012.
  11. ↑ Facts and Figures 2011, undated RWE website, accessed 4th September 2012.
  12. ↑ Association of Professional Political Consultants, APPC Register Entry for 1 Mar 2012 to 31 May 2012
  13. ↑ Association of Professional Political Consultants, APPC Register Entry for 1 Mar 2012 to 31 May 2012
  14. ↑ FTI Consulting profile 2016, parliament.uk, accessed 29 April 2016
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