The municipality of Ebsdorfergrund and Stadtwerke Gießen have signed a concession agreement for the operation of the electricity grid in the Wermertshausen district.
The political bodies of the municipality of Ebsdorfergrund and Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) have agreed: SWG's network subsidiary Mittelhessen Netz GmbH will continue to operate the electricity grid in Wermertshausen, a southern district of the municipality of Ebsdorfergrund, for the next 20 years. This is stipulated in the concession agreement signed by representatives of the municipality and the SWG Management Board. "We are very pleased that those responsible in the municipality of Ebsdorfergrund have once again placed their trust in us and awarded us the concession to operate the grid again," explains Matthias Funk, Chief Technical Officer of SWG.
Winning the competition
There was initially one competitor in the legally regulated procedure for awarding concessions, which takes around two years. However, shortly before the deadline for submitting a binding offer, the competitor withdrew. However, this had no influence on the subsequent contract negotiations. "SWG always treated us as equals throughout the entire process," explains Mayor Hanno Kern, adding: "We value SWG as a reliable partner that listens to our needs here on site. We are therefore convinced that the tried-and-tested collaboration will continue to work as usual over the next 20 years."
Approaching local authorities during contract negotiations and responding to requests from the respective town hall has long been standard practice at SWG. "Especially against the backdrop of the energy transition, it is always important to take the local situation into account," says Andreas Hergaß, Commercial Director of SWG. This is because the further expansion of renewable energies requires numerous adjustments to the electricity grid. And this is precisely where the smoothest possible cooperation between the municipalities and SWG is required. For example, to coordinate the necessary construction work and minimise any resulting restrictions for citizens.
Fully digital
Applying for concessions is part of SWG's traditional business. Nevertheless, the process was something new for Wermertshausen in some ways. All of the information was transmitted via an online portal. In other words, SWG provided all the necessary data and documents in digital form. "This first round worked without a hitch. I therefore assume that more and more local authorities will digitise the processes - which we would welcome," Matthias Funk sums up.