Tim Meyerjürgens, chief executive of Tennet Germany, underscored the advantages of the announced state entry. “Germany can only stay competitive in the long run with a strong energy infrastructure” he told the Handelsblatt’s Wednesday edition. He added that the federal government should back this up financially and that a broad ownership base will strengthen Tennet Germany’s creditworthiness, laying the groundwork for low‑cost financing on the capital markets. He explained that “with the state as an investor we can expand the networks at a cheaper cost”.
Meyerjürgens said the move was also meant to send a signal to international investors. “When a state commits itself to one of its most important infrastructure projects, it demonstrates that reliable conditions can be expected” he noted. At the same time, he hinted that strategic motives were at play. “Energy policy today is a hard‑core mix of security, industry and site politics” he said.
In 2024, under the coalition government, the federal administration had already attempted a stake purchase in Tennet Germany. That deal collapsed just before completion. According to government circles, the failure was due to the purchase price. Meyerjürgens replied that “the purchase price is based on a fair market valuation, and that would have been the case in 2024 too. The deal falling through was a matter of politics”.
On Tuesday, KfW signed, on behalf of the federal government, an agreement to acquire a 25.1 % stake in Tennet Germany from the Dutch Tennet Holding. Tennet Germany operates Germany’s largest electricity transmission network, covering more than 14,000 route kilometres.
