HELSINKI – The German government has signed a deal to nationalise troubled gas giant Uniper, the company’s Finnish owner said today, as the energy sector reels from the fallout of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Fortum said in a statement that Berlin will inject €8 billion (RM36 billion) in cash into Uniper and buy the Finnish firm’s shares for €500 million, giving Germany a 98.5% stake in the gas company.
“Under the current circumstances in the European energy markets and recognising the severity of Uniper’s situation, the divestment of Uniper is the right step to take, not only for Uniper but also for Fortum,” said Fortum chief executive Markus Rauramo.
“The role of gas in Europe has fundamentally changed since Russia attacked Ukraine, and so has the outlook for a gas-heavy portfolio. As a result, the business case for an integrated group is no longer viable,” Rauramo said in the statement.
One of the biggest importers of Russian gas, Uniper has been squeezed as Moscow has reduced supplies to the continent in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine in February.
Missing deliveries have had to be replaced with expensive supplies from the open market, where prices for gas have skyrocketed.
The German state had already agreed in July to take a 30% stake in Uniper as part of an initial bailout agreement.
But Uniper announced earlier this month that the two sides were exploring a possible nationalisation as the energy crisis showed no signs of abating. – AFP, September 21, 2022
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