Repower (company)
Repower is an international energy utility with its operational headquarters in Poschiavo. The company's history goes back more than 100 years. Its key markets include Switzerland and Italy. The group operates along the entire value chain, from generation and trading to sales.
The Repower Group employs 555 people, plus 510 sales agents in Italy and 30 apprentices in Switzerland.
History
For more than 100 years, Repower has been one of the largest providers of electricity in Switzerland. Founded in 1904 as Kraftwerke Brusio AG, the same year the company started construction of its first power plant − at the time the largest high-pressure hydropower installation in Europe − in Campocologno in the Poschiavo region of Canton Graubünden, Switzerland. Proximity to the Italian border precipitated the company's involvement in international projects and business activities. In 2000, Kraftwerke Brusio AG, AG Bündner Kraftwerke and Rhätische Werke für Elektrizität AG merged to create the Rätia Energie AG group, which was subsequently joined by aurax ag in 2004. In 2002 the group embarked on business in Italy. In 2010, Rätia Energie AG was renamed Repower AG.Shareholder structure
The company's shareholders are:- Elektrizitätswerke des Kantons Zürich 32.12%
- Canton Graubünden 21.96%
- UBS Clean Energy Infrastructure Switzerland KGK 18.88%
- Axpo Holding AG 12.69%
- Free float 14.35%
Financial highlights
| 2019 financial highlights | CHF million |
| Total operating revenue | 1.937 |
| Group profit | 50 |
| Operating profit | 65 |
| Balance sheet total | 1.876 |
| Equity | 844 |
Executive board
The executive board comprises the following members:- Roland Leuenberger, CEO of Repower Group
- Samuel Bontadelli, COO
- Brigitte Krapf, Head of Finance, CFO
- Fabio Bocchiola, Head of Italy
Offices
Generation
Repower has its own generation assets in Switzerland, Italy and Germany, producing electricity on the basis of different technologies: hydro, thermal and wind. In 2018 the group's own installations generated around 1.66 TWh of electricity. In addition to this, the company has long term contracts with nuclear power plants in Switzerland and France.Thermal power plants
Repower has a 61% interest in SET S.p.A., which operates the Teverola combined cycle gas power plant in the Italian province of Caserta. This 400 MW installation went into operation at the end of 2006.Nuclear power
Repower has long term contracts with nuclear power plants in Switzerland and France, representing an installed capacity of around 50 MW.Renewable energy
Hydropower
The group operates 15 of its own hydropower plants in Canton Graubünden, Switzerland. It also has interests and drawing rights in other plants. The company's installed hydropower capacity totals 405 MW.Some of these hydropower facilities generate naturemade star certified green power. The naturemade star label is awarded by the Association for Environmentally Sound Energy.
Wind
In Italy the group operates a wind farm in Corleto Perticara, and in Lucera and holds an interest in another wind farm in Giunchetto on Sicily. In Germany the Repower subsidiary Repartner Produktions AG owns two wind farms, in Prettin and Lübbenau.Trading
Repower generates around two thirds of its energy turnover in trading; in 2018 this came to around 12 terawatt hours.Repower operates on the most important European energy exchanges from trading floors located in Poschiavo and Milan. The group sees itself as an asset-based trader, trading electricity, gas and carbon certificates. On the physical side of the business Repower delivers electricity – part of which is generated by Repower itself, part of which is bought in from outside – to wholesale customers, usually via the high-voltage grid. The company also deals in certificates to deliver environmental value-added to larger end-consumers, independently of the grid. At the wholesale level the group delivers standard products such as base, peak and off-peak, as well as profiles.
Transmission
Repower has played a significant role in increasing cross-border capacity between northern and southern Europe by building the international Bernina Line, commissioned in 2005 and transferred to the Swiss national grid operator Swissgrid at the beginning of 2013.In October 2009, Repower joined forces with Edison and the municipality of Tirano to inaugurate the first A/C merchant line in Europe. It runs underground for its entire length between Tirano and Campocologno. This 150 kV merchant line increases cross-border transport capacity by 150 MW, helping assure a secure energy supply in Italy and Switzerland. Currently a new 220 kV merchant line between Val Bregaglia and Italy is being planned.
Sales and distribution
Switzerland
Repower is the leading supplier of electricity in Southeast Switzerland. Its customers range from private households to industrial, commercial and public sector consumers and downstream municipal utilities. Repower's supply area includes municipalities in the Engadine, Prättigau, Rhine Valley and Surselva areas of Graubünden. Via municipal utilities it supplies customers in the Upper Engadine, Münstertal, Poschiavo Valley, Rhine Valley and Surselva.Repower's customers in Switzerland can choose between different products. The standard product, Aquapower, comes from Swiss hydropower plants. The two renewable products, Purepower and Solarpower are both naturemade starcertified, fulfilling stringent environmental quality criteria.