BKW Energie

BKW was founded in 1898 as Aktiengesellschaft Elektrizitätswerk Hagneck. The name was changed to Bernische Kraftwerke AG in 1909. In 1995, it changed to its present name. BKW FMB Energie AG, to emphasize the internationalization of the company's business plan. It has been quoted on the BX Swiss since 1969. As from 2003, it is also present at the Swiss Stock Exchange. The largest shareholder is the canton of Bern, with 52.54%. The Swiss energy provider Groupe E SA holds a further 10% of BKW. By 2014 E.ON had only 6.7 of BKW and took steps to sell its remaining stake via exchangeable bonds, completing its divestiture by October of that year. Since 2013 the board chair of BKW Group has been Roger Baillod. The CEO is Robert Itschner, who took over from Suzanne Thoma in late 2022. Head of finances is Martin Zwyssig. The total employee count grew by some 800 new workers to 11,500. == Power production ==

With a yearly energy sale of 24.2 TW⋅h the BKW is one of the biggest Swiss power utilities. Of this, 9.7 TW⋅h is produced by own plants or by shares in other facilities. As of 2007 the mix is mainly composed of nuclear (61.87%) and hydroelectric (37.96%) power. The remainder is produced by renewable sources like solar, wind, or biomass. Due to the necessity to diversify the mix and satisfy the increasing demand, BKW is introducing some fossil fuel power through shares in abroad plants. Fossil fuel power In 2008 a new 800 MW combined cycle gas power plant started operation in Livorno Ferraris (province of Vercelli, Italy). BKW possesses a 25% share. Hydroelectric power BKW produces up to 52% of its power through owned or shared hydroelectric plants in Switzerland and Italy. The owned plants are located mainly in Bern canton: • Aarberg, Bern canton: 15.2 MW installed load, owned plant Major future developments Biomass power • BKW has a 25% share in an 11 MW biomass power plant in construction in Pignataro Maggiore (province of Caserta, Italy). Operation should start in 2009. • In Ottana (province of Nuoro, Italy) BKW is present with a 10.5% share in a 35 MW biomass plant. The commercial operation should start in 2009. • BKW is considering to build with other partners a 900 MW coal power plant in Dörpen (Lower Saxony, Germany). • The Papierfabrik Utzenstorf AG and BKW are planning to build in Utzenstorf (canton of Bern, Switzerland) a combined cycle gas power plant. It should start operation in 2016 and deliver power, steam and heat. • Irsina (province of Matera, Italy) has been chosen as possible location for a planned 400 MW combined cycle gas power plant. • BKW has an 80% share in a company that is building a new small hydroelectric plant in Wiler (Valais, Switzerland). The 1.4 MW station should start operation in 2010. • Schattenhalb 3 is a new 10 MW hydroelectric power plant which construction started in 2008. It is located in Schattenhalb (canton of Bern, Switzerland) and is planned to start production in 2010. It will be operated by a subsidiary of BKW. • BKW and the municipality of Tinizong-Rona (canton of Graubünden, Switzerland) will build a new 7.5 MW plant that will exploit the Errbach torrent. Nuclear power In the 2020s, the Mühleberg Nuclear Power Plant will probably cease its activity and the contracts for importing nuclear energy from France will expire. BKW and Axpo founded Resun AG to prevent the consequent energy lack. Its purpose is to manage the administrative procedure for building two new nuclear plants up to 1600 MW each. == Transmission grid ==

BKW provides around one million people in 400 municipalities in Bern Canton and surroundings with power, through its local and distribution networks of up to 132 kV. It also owns 665 km of 220 kV and 56 km of 380 kV lines, although their operation is entrusted to the national transmission company Swissgrid. == References ==