Stadtwerke Gießen will operate the natural gas network in Staufenberg for a further 20 years. Those responsible recently signed the necessary concession agreement.
Energy suppliers need a licence to operate networks in towns or municipalities. This involves the consent of the elected political bodies, which is usually contractually stipulated for 20 years. This process was repeated in Staufenberg at the beginning of February: Mayor Peter Gefeller and First City Councillor Bianka de Waal-Schneider as well as Matthias Funk and Andreas Hergaß, the directors of Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG), signed a new gas concession agreement. The municipality and SWG are thus extending their successful partnership until 2044. "We are very pleased to have reached an agreement so quickly, with which all parties involved are highly satisfied," commented Mayor Peter Gefeller on the signing of the contract.
A process lasting a good two years
The official conclusion of the concession agreement marks the end of a process that the town of Staufenberg initiated back in November 2022. In order to be able to publish the tender for the concession in the Federal Gazette in mid-December 2022, the municipality asked SWG in advance for a lot of data on the existing network and the necessary systems integrated into it.
At the end of the usual 15-week period, it was clear that no other company was bidding to operate the natural gas network in Staufenberg. "For us, it makes no difference whether we have to prevail against the competition or whether we are the only company submitting a bid. Our aim is always to achieve a mutually acceptable result with the local authority," says Andreas Hergaß, Commercial Director of SWG, explaining the procedure. It is precisely this approach that ensures a pleasant atmosphere during the negotiations. "The talks were conducted on an equal footing right from the start," recalls Bianka de Waal-Schneider. In fact, all of the municipality's wishes were addressed, discussed in detail and ultimately incorporated into the contract.
Two in one
The concession agreement offers a real novelty in one respect: at the request of the municipality, SWG included the topic of hydrogen in the concession agreement. "The contract applies to the operation of the network with both natural gas and hydrogen," explains Matthias Funk, Chief Technical Officer at SWG. In other words, the agreement means that the city and SWG are prepared for all foreseeable developments.
This important aspect makes the concession agreement between Staufenberg and SWG a blueprint. "We will include a passage regulating operation with hydrogen as standard in all upcoming comparable contracts," announces Matthias Funk.
By extending their cooperation in the gas network, which dates back to 1984, both partners are sending an important signal for the future. Peter Gefeller puts it this way: "A secure and sustainable energy supply is of the utmost importance for a municipality. So far, we have always been able to rely on SWG in this respect. I am sure that SWG will continue to fulfil its task to our satisfaction over the next two decades."