Alpiq

Last updated
Alpiq
Type Publicly traded limited
Industry Electric utility
Founded2009
Headquarters Lausanne, Switzerland
Key people
Jens Alder, CEO
Products energy production, energy trading, renewable energy
RevenueIncrease2.svg CHF 6.078 billion (2016)
Number of employees
1,258 (2020)
Website www.alpiq.com

Alpiq is a leading energy company in Switzerland and the largest energy service provider with focus on European markets. The company operates mainly in Switzerland, but it also has power stations in Italy, France, Norway, Hungary and the Czech Republic and is building new ones in Germany, Italy, France, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. [1] The group was established in 2009 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland after the merger of two Swiss energy companies Aare-Tessin Ltd. for Electricity (Atel) and Energie Ouest Suisse (EOS). [2]

Contents

History

Alpiq was founded in 2009 as a result of the merger of Swiss energy companies Atel and EOS. Atel (Aare-Tessin Ltd. for Electricity) was founded in 1894 and was active in Europe in the production, trading and sale of electricity. [2] EOS (Energie Ouest Suisse) was founded in 1919 by several electricity companies based in Western Switzerland. The company was specialised in producing electric power from hydroelectric sources and owned many stations in the country. It also had a 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) energy distribution network in the same area. [2]

Group companies

The Alpiq Group comprises the following companies: [3]

Switzerland

Czech Republic

Denmark

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Italy

Norway

Poland

Romania

Spain

Activity

Alpiq is specialised in the production, distribution and trading of electric power. The company owns around 6,322 MW in hydroelectric, thermal, wind and solar power stations. [4] Alpiq has stakes in 2,963 MW of hydroelectric power stations, 3,250 MW of thermal power stations and 109 MW in small hydroelectric power stations, wind farms and solar power stations. [4]

Hydroelectric power stations

The company partially or fully owns around 2,963 MW of hydroelectric power station in Switzerland and Italy. The largest hydroelectric power station fully owned by Alpiq is the Lucendro hydroelectric power station located in Switzerland that has an installed capacity of 60 MW. The company also owns a 60% stake in the Grande Dixence SA, company that manages the Grande Dixence Dam. [5]

RankNameTypeCountryCapacity (MW)Annual production
(million kWh)
Stake (%)Note
1 Flumenthal run-of-river Switzerland23.7146100 [6]
2 Gösgen run-of-river Switzerland51.3300100 [7]
3 Klingnau run-of-river Switzerland3723010 [8]
4 Ruppoldingen run-of-river Switzerland21.1115100 [9]
5 Ryburg-Schwörstadt run-of-river Switzerland11076025 [10]
6 Blenio conventional Switzerland40089017 [11]
7 Chandoline conventional Switzerland12032010.9 [12]
8 Cleuson-Dixence conventional Switzerland1,269 ?32 [13]
8 Emosson conventional Switzerland36084050 [14]
9 Engadine conventional Switzerland4141,33022 [15]
10Conches conventional Switzerland11928041 [16]
11 Fully conventional Switzerland61228 [17]
12 Martigny-Bourg conventional Switzerland219018 [18]
13 Gd-St-Bernard conventional Switzerland409625 [19]
14 Hongrin-Léman conventional Switzerland24053039.3 [20]
15 Gougra conventional Switzerland15957565 [21]
16 Grande Dixence conventional Switzerland6802,00060 [22]
17 Hinterrhein conventional Switzerland7411,4609.3 [23]
18 Lucendro conventional Switzerland60104100 [24]
19 Maggia conventional Switzerland6261,47512.5 [25]
20 Massa conventional Switzerland34054534.5 [26]
21 Mese conventional Italy3771,12820 [27]
22 Salanfe conventional Switzerland60120100 [28]
23 Simplon conventional Switzerland6224080 [29]
24 Tusciano conventional Italy9631320 [30]
25 Udine conventional Italy3091,16120 [31]
26 Zervreila conventional Switzerland26856030 [32]

Thermal power stations

The company partially or fully owns around 3,250 MW of thermal power stations in Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic. The largest thermal power station fully owned by Alpiq is the Plana del Vent thermal power station located in Spain that has an installed capacity of 800 MW.

RankNameTypeCountryCapacity (MW)Annual production
(million kWh)
Stake (%)Note
1 Brindisi fossil fuel Italy6401,52820 [33]
2 Kladno District fossil fuel Czech Republic3881,500100 [34]
3 San Filippo del Mela fossil fuel Italy1,2804,00920 [35]
4 Zlín fossil fuel Czech Republic66176100 [36]
5 Biella combined cycle Italy2018060 [37]
6 Chivasso combined cycle Italy1,1403,00120 [38]
7 Csepel combined cycle Hungary4032,130100 [39]
8 Kladno II combined cycle Czech Republic45 ?100 [40]
9 Monthey combined cycle Switzerland55456100 [41]
10 Novara combined cycle Italy10059751 [42]
11 Piacenza combined cycle Italy8602,59320 [43]
12 Plana del Vent combined cycle Spain800 ?100 [44]
13 Sermide combined cycle Italy1,1402,66720 [45]
14 Spreetal combined cycle Germany56 ?100 [46]
15 Turbigo combined cycle Italy1,7402,46620 [47]
16 Vercelli combined cycle Italy5011695 [48]
17 Gösgen nuclear power Switzerland9707,96440 [49]
18 Leibstadt nuclear power Switzerland1,1659,38532.4 [50]

Other power stations

Alpiq partially or fully owns around 109 MW of small hydropower stations, wind farms and solar power stations in Switzerland, Italy, Norway and Bulgaria. The company owns stakes in 11 small hydropower stations in Switzerland, Italy and Norway with a combined electric power generation capacity of 20.63 MW and an annual power generation of 72.17 GWh. [51] The company owns stakes in five wind farms located in Switzerland and Italy with a combined electric power generation capacity of 178 MW and an annual power generation of 346 GWh. [52] Alpiq is also involved in the construction of another two wind farms in Italy and Bulgaria with a combined capacity of 90 MW. [53] [54]

The company is also involved in the construction of the Narbone Serre solar park located near Agrigento in Sicily, Italy. The power station will use thin-film solar cells. The solar cells will have a combined capacity of 14 MW. The first section of the solar farm will go operational in 2010, generating 6.5 MW. The second section rated at 7.5 MW is still at the approvals phase. [55]

Electricity trading

Alpiq has trading branches in 16 countries in Europe and is active on all major European energy exchanges. The company focuses on origination and sales activities in the B2B customer segment for electricity and natural gas. Alpiq has a pan-European presence with regional roots and know-how and has an experienced team in the optimization and marketing of renewable energies and flexible production units. With the 24/7 intraday team, Alpiq customers have access to the intraday, spot and forward markets around the clock in Europe. This service opens up attractive revenue potentials, supports the risk management and the active management of energy positions.

In 2008 the company bought two leading Romanian electricity trading companies Buzmann Industries and Ehol Distribution, both companies based in Bucharest. [56] In 2010 Alpiq became the largest open market electric power trader in Romania surpassing Alro Slatina and having a 16% market share. [57]

See also

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