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Uniper gas power plant in Bavaria: Group wants to leave the loss zone in 2024
Photo:
Nicolas Armer / dpa
The energy group Uniper recorded a net loss of more than twelve billion euros in the first half of the year.
According to the supplier, 6.5 billion euros alone are related to expected future gas supply disruptions in Russia.
In addition, there would be impairments of 2.7 billion euros.
As the largest German gas importer, Uniper plays a central role in the gas crisis due to the sharp drop in gas supplies from Russia for weeks.
The company now has to buy more expensive gas on the market to fulfill contracts because of the cut in supplies and a heavy reliance on gas from Russia.
This led to liquidity problems because Uniper has not yet been able to pass on the price increases.
Uniper supplies industrial companies and more than 100 municipal utilities.
Due to the existing contracts with the customers, they have not been allowed to pass on these additional costs so far.
This has put Uniper in dire straits.
The state has therefore put together an aid package worth billions and is getting involved with 30 percent.
However, this cannot protect against the daily losses in the long term.
That is why gas customers should now pay an extra surcharge of 2.419 cents per kilowatt hour from autumn to save the supplier.
Whether that's enough is an open question.
According to its own statements, the group did not dare to make a forecast – but expects losses for the financial year.
The result should improve in 2023 and leave the loss zone in 2024.
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apr/Reuters/dpa-AFX
