Stuttgart. EnBW Transportnetze AG will be operating under the name Transnet BW GmbH from 2nd March 2012

Stuttgart. EnBW Transportnetze AG will be operating under the name TransnetBW GmbH from 2nd March 2012. With the change of name, EnBW Transportnetze AG is corresponding with the third legislative package for an internal EU gas and electricity market adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in July 2009 that was transposed into the German ‘Energiewirtschaftsgesetz’ (1) in August 2011.
With the Third Package, the European Commission is following the aim of reinforcing competition on the European electricity markets further. The associated promotion of stronger independence among transmission system operators can be achieved using three alternative models. EnBW has decided on the model of the so-called "independent transmission operator" (ITO) that allows TransnetBW to remain within the EnBW Group.
As an ITO, TransnetBW does however have wide-ranging unbundling regulations to consider that especially prohibit the retention of the previous EnBW Group services such as in the areas of data processing, personnel management and network maintenance. The number of employees will heavily increase due to this: instead of 120 previously, TransnetBW will employ around 380 employees in the future.
The change of the company name is another step in the unbundling process: a reference to the EnBW Group may not be able to be identified from the name and brand presence in the future.
The new name, TransnetBW, is made up of the three components "Transport" (service), "Network" (infrastructure) and "Baden-Württemberg" and thereby clearly reflects the assignment and contents of the brand: Transportation of electrical energy by providing the infrastructure in Baden-Württemberg. "BW" stands for proximity and strong roots in the region.
The TransnetBW management will be run by Rainer Joswig and Dr. Rainer Pflaum.
TransnetBW GmbH operates the transmission network in Baden-Württemberg. Its legal task is to guarantee system security at all times. TransnetBW monitors and continually operates the electricity flows within Baden-Württemberg as well as the electricity exchange with neighbouring distribution and transmission network operators. The company is the owner of the transmission network infrastructure and is responsible for maintenance and the development of the network in line with requirements. The 380/220-kV transmission network owned by TransnetBW is about 3,239 kilometres long and extends over an area of 34,600 km2. It is available to all players in the electricity market without discrimination and at fair and transparent conditions. With around 380 employees in the future, TransnetBW will achieve an annual turnover in excess of three billion Euros.
(1) Energy Industry Act