The core component of the historic transaction is the breakup of Innogy, RWE's former subsidiary. While Innogy's generation business remained in RWE's hands, the end-customer business and network operations were transferred to E.ON. This enabled the companies to secure dominant positions in their respective divisions.
Opponents stir
Now strong opposition is stirring from the energy industry. The #wirspielennichtmit initiative brings together various players from the energy industry, including utilities, associations and prominent faces such as scientist Volker Quaschning. The Grüner Strom Label e.V. and several of its label holders also support the alliance.
The Grüner Strom-Label is awarded to regional and nationwide green electricity tariffs that are guaranteed to promote the energy transition through a fixed amount of funding per KWh for projects in the fields of renewable energies, environmental and climate protection. The association shares the initiative's concern that a monopoly position for the two companies would gradually squeeze out smaller players and raise prices for consumers. This would stand in the way of a decentralized and diverse energy transition in the interest of citizens.
Intransparency on the pitch - is that fair play?
They criticize not only the anticompetitive actions of RWE and E.ON, but also the lack of transparency of the entire procedure, which was examined in three independent partial proceedings by the EU Commission and the Federal Cartel Office. "The deal between E.ON and RWE should never have been approved in this way," the members of the initiative complain.
A delay in the approval process at EU level is currently preventing Wettber from taking legal action against the second part of the deal. NATURSTROM AG and ten municipal utilities have already filed a lawsuit with the European Court against the first part, the acquisition of E.ON's generation assets by RWE. The initiative has also set up a petition addressed to Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager and German Economics Minister Peter Altmaier.
