Pohlheim and SWG extend concession agreement
The city of Pohlheim continues to rely on Stadtwerke Giessen to operate its electricity grid.
Over the next 20 years, Mittelhessen Netz GmbH - the grid subsidiary of Stadtwerke Giessen (SWG) - will continue to operate the electricity grid in Pohlheim's Watzenborn-Steinberg, Hausen and Garbenteich districts. This is governed by the new concession agreement signed by Mayor Andreas Ruck and First City Councillor Israel Be Josef as well as the two SWG board members Andreas Hergaß and Matthias Funk on 8 July 2025. The city of Pohlheim is already the third municipality whose committees have decided in favour of continuing the proven partnership with SWG this year. "We are delighted that those responsible in Pohlheim have once again entrusted us with this challenging task," explained Andreas Hergaß, Commercial Director of SWG, on the occasion of the official signing.
Convincing offer
The awarding of concessions in Germany follows clear legal regulations and usually takes several years. The process began back in November 2021 with the invitation to tender in the Federal Gazette. In addition to SWG, another company applied and submitted a binding bid. "We were able to present our offer at a presentation meeting and respond to all questions," recalls Matthias Funk, Technical Director of SWG.
The SWG managers obviously hit the mark. "We were completely convinced by the offer itself and all the answers to open questions," says Mayor Andreas Ruck, explaining the decision. This is also reflected in the objective evaluation. In the tender, the municipality not only requested statements on the aspects of security of supply, cost-effectiveness, consumer friendliness, efficiency and environmental compatibility. By precisely defining the evaluation criteria, the city also explained exactly what it attaches particular importance to. Here too, SWG was clearly in the lead.
Always on an equal footing
Of course, when awarding concessions, it is primarily the services that are initially set out in the bid and later in the contract that are decisive. However, because people meet again and again in the course of the process, the way they treat each other also plays a decisive role. "The atmosphere during the talks and negotiations was always characterised by mutual respect and high esteem. For many years, we have found SWG to be a reliable partner that takes our needs seriously and finds suitable solutions. I firmly believe that this will not change over the next two decades," explains Mayor Andreas Ruck.