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☆ Steel makers fear deepening crisis from energy crunch as output halted
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Stainless metal coils are seen at the Belgian site of stainless steel maker Aperam, which has been forced to slow production due to spiralling energy prices, in Genk, Belgium September 22, 2022. Even with four wind turbines and over 50,000 solar panels at its site in eastern Belgium, stainless steel maker Aperam has been forced to halt production as surging energy prices bite. Hallemans says the potential payout producers such as Aperam would receive is unclear and could be months away, with energy prices sky-high just as Aperam seeks to bind customers to annual contracts. ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe has trimmed production there, with customers hesitant in the face of an emerging recession and energy prices that challenge its international competitiveness. Eurofer says the situation has worsened markedly since its August forecast of a modest 1.7% decline of European steel consumption this year, but a solid 5.6% rebound in 2023.

☆ Germany nationalises gas importer Uniper
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Uniper logo is seen at the utility's firm headquarters in Duesseldorf, Germany, July 8, 2022. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterCompanies Fortum Oyj FollowUniper SE FollowBERLIN/HELSINKI, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Germany has agreed to nationalise Uniper (UN01.DE) by buying Fortum's (FORTUM.HE) stake in the gas importer to secure operations and keep its business going, the three parties involved said on Wednesday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe package "creates a clear ownership structure in order to secure Uniper, and thus the energy supply for companies, municipal utilities and consumers," it said. Russia cutting back natural gas supplies and last month closing the Nord Stream 1 gas pipe have led Uniper, Germany's largest gas importer, to financial dire straits, triggering a rescue package with Berlin which was agreed in July. ($1 = 1.0075 euros)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Essi Lehto, Anne Kauranen, Kirsti Knolle editing by Stine Jacobsen, Paul CarrelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The logo of the energy company Fortum headquarters a subsidiary of Uniper is pictured in Espoo, Finland July 22, 2022. Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva/via REUTERSRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterCompanies Fortum Oyj FollowUniper SE FollowBERLIN/DUESSELDORF, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Germany is set to buy Fortum's (FORTUM.HE) stake in Uniper (UN01.DE) and inject a further 8 billion euros ($8 billion) as part of a nationalisation of the gas importer, Uniper said on Tuesday. The capital injection, which would come via a capital increase subscribed only by Germany's government, would bring the total package of loans and equity used to stabilise Uniper so far to at least 29 billion euros. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFortum, which owns a 78% stake in Uniper, said that the deal will include the "return of the financing Fortum granted to Uniper" which the Finnish group has put at 8 billion euros. ($1 = 1.0019 euros)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Markus Wacket and Riham Alkousaa in Berlin, Tom Kaeckenhoff in Duesseldorf and Christoph Steitz in Frankfurt, editing by Rachel MoreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Germany to unveil Uniper nationalisation on Wednesday - source
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe Uniper logo is seen at the utility's firm headquarters in Duesseldorf, Germany, July 8, 2022. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayCompanies Uniper SE FollowFortum Oyj FollowFRANKFURT, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Germany is expected to unveil key details of a full nationalisation of gas importer Uniper (UN01.DE) on Wednesday that is likely to include the exit of major shareholder Fortum (FORTUM.HE), a person familiar with the talks said. Fortum declined to comment. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Christoph Steitz and Essi Lehto, Editing by Miranda Murray and Sabine WollrabOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Germany reaches provisional agreement on Uniper nationalization - Bloomberg
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe logo of German energy utility company Uniper SE is pictured in the company's headquarters in Duesseldorf, Germany, March 10, 2020. REUTERS/Thilo SchmuelgenCompanies Uniper SE FollowFortum Oyj FollowBERLIN, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Germany has reached a provisional agreement with Uniper (UN01.DE) and its Finnish parent, Fortum (FORTUM.HE), about nationalizing the ailing German gas importer, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the situation. The German government aims to make an announcement regarding the agreement this week although contracts have not yet been signed, according to the report. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFortum also did not comment on the report while Uniper was not immediately available for comment. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Tom Kaeckenhoff, Christoph Steitz, Riham Alkousaa, Writing by Miranda Murray, Editing by Rachel MoreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The annual energy price increase in Germany in August on average was 139%, latest producer price data showed this week. In a BDI survey of 593 businesses, more than a third said their existence was threatened by higher energy prices, up from 23% in February. Industry group VKU has also joined the chorus of concern, warning that local utilities faced insolvency due to high energy prices and possible defaults from their customers. read moreThe head of the German Chemicals Industry Association VCI on Tuesday said rising energy prices were a "huge alarm call" for Germany as a place to do business. He welcomed Buschmann's initiative to relax insolvency rules but added that suspending them outright again would be a "serious mistake".

The logo of German energy utility company Uniper SE is pictured in the company's headquarters in Duesseldorf, Germany, March 10, 2020. REUTERS/Thilo SchmuelgenLONDON/FRANKFURT, Sept 19 (Reuters) - German utilities RWE (RWEG.DE) and Uniper (UN01.DE) are close to striking long-term deals to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar's North Field Expansion project to help replace Russian gas, three sources familiar with the matter said. Qatar Energy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Uniper told Reuters on Monday that it remained in talks with Qatar but had not reached a deal. read moreGULF TRIPAt the moment, the two utilities buy LNG from Qatar on the spot market.

☆ Germany in focused talks with Uniper on further state aid - economy ministry
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe logo of German energy utility company Uniper SE is pictured in the company's headquarters in Duesseldorf, Germany, March 10, 2020. REUTERS/Thilo SchmuelgenBERLIN, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Talks with ailing gas importer Uniper (UN01.DE) cannot be drawn out forever, said a German economy ministry spokesperson on Monday, adding that "focused" discussions on aid are ongoing. The spokesperson added that it was unclear whether companies taken over by the state could receive funds from a gas levy that will be imposed on consumers from Oct. 1. Energy companies that qualify for the funds from the levy will not receive them, however, before Nov. 1, said the spokesperson. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Rachel More and Miranda Murray, Editing by Andrew CawthorneOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Hundreds of flights cancelled in Germany as security staff strike over pay
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The walkout by security staff has resulted in a high three-digit number of flight cancellations, German airports association ADV said. Some 160 of them were at Duesseldorf airport, accounting for more than half of the planned 290 departures and arrivals, the airport said. At Cologne/Bonn, 94 out of 136 flights were called off, and Berlin airport's website also showed many cancelled flights. Tuesday's walkout will hit Germany's busiest airport, Frankfurt, which handled around 2.1 million passengers last month. Labour union Verdi is demanding that employers raise the wages of airport security staff by at least 1 euro an hour for the next 12 months and that staff in different parts of Germany earn the same.

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