There were 10 of them, today in Brussels, asking Europe to rethink EU energy policies. Only 10, but very influential, considering that they are the big names in energy from the Old Continent. At the table, among others, were Enel, Eni, Rwe, Eon, Iberdrola, Gdf Suez and Vattenfall.
After an initial initiative launched in the spring by the managing director of Gdf Gerard Mestrallet, followed last month by a hearing before the European Parliament, the number one of the utilities explained how the economic crisis, together with the growth of renewables in Germany and development of shale gas in the United States, has caused electricity prices in the wholesale and consumer markets to fall, making tens and tens of thousands of gigawatts of thermal capacity unprofitable and putting Europe – according to according to them – in a situation of risk in terms of security of supply.
“The risk of a blackout has never been so high”, assured the CEO of Gdf. On Thursday, the president of the Bundesnetzagentur, the German network agency, had announced that he had received requests to close 28 plants considered unprofitable under current market conditions.
The big names in energy are aiming for the European Council in February and March on competitiveness and the "2030 framework" on climate and energy policies. The producers have already started a series of bilateral meetings with the French president François Holland, and they also hope to speak with the Spanish premier Mariano Rajoy, the Belgian one Elio di Rupo, the Englishman David Cameron and above all in Germany with Angela Merkel-
Big companies, which ask consumers to further finance peak demand (through a capacity mechanism), know that one of the crux of the problem is the implementation of a new market for CO2 quotas.
