Electricity and gas merger will cut energy bills
Flanders’ umbrella energy providers, Eandis and Infrax, are merging, with the chairs predicting big savings
Economies of scale
Eandis and Infrax are umbrella organisations of, respectively, seven and four electricity and gas network managers. All 11 of them will now come together under one roof, allowing major economies of scale. The estimate of €100 million in savings comes from Piet Buyse, chair of Eandis, and Wim Dries of Infrax.
Flemish energy minister Bart Tommelein was in favour of a merger but wanted the company to launch on the stock market to give ordinary investors the chance to become shareholders. At present, shares are held by municipalities. That launch will now not take place as the timing is not right, Tommelein said.
The main functions of the new company, to be known as Fluvius, will be managing and maintaining the energy networks, as well as investing in the network, paying energy premiums, reporting property owners producing their own energy and installing energy meters.
“All the rest, including the installation of charging stations or the sale of extra options for digital meters, should be left to the private sector,” said Tommelein.
Photo courtesy Eandis
