Veolia Invest Hungary and the Uniper Group signed a sales-purchase agreement for 100% of the equity share in Uniper Hungary Energetikai Kft. The acquisition of the company that owns and operates Hungary’s most modern and one of the largest combined-cycle gas turbine power plants in Gönyű falls within Veolia Group’s long-term strategy aiming at increasing the efficiency of the Hungarian power supply and the rate of use of renewable energy sources.
The Hungarian subsidiary of the international Veolia Group, Veolia Invest Hungary Zrt. signed a sales-purchase agreement with the German Uniper Group on February 14th, 2024 for the acquisition of 100% of the equity share in Uniper Hungary Energetikai Kft., which owns and operates the Gönyű Power Plant.
Located in Győr-Moson-Sopron County, the Gönyű Power Plant commissioned in 2011 and refurbished in 2017 and again in 2021 to further increase its efficiency and capacity is Hungary’s most modern and one of the largest combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plants. The power plant with a 428 MW installed electricity production capacity operates with high efficiency and supplies nearly 8% of Hungary’s power supply, thus providing electricity for about 600 000 consumers. The plant also constitutes a key element in the country’s critical infrastructure, as it is able to provide black start services to the electrical power transmission network in case of partial or total shutdown of the network.
The plant is equipped with state-of-the-art and the best available technology, and is considered one of the prominent players in the market of system-wide balancing services. Due to its flexible regulability, the plant can provide system-wide balancing, which is indispensable due to the dynamic growth in weather-dependent and unpredictable renewable production.
The power plant falls within the long-term strategy and energetic portfolio of Veolia Hungary, as the company already operates 10 gas-fired and renewable based power plants in Hungary.
„This contract is in straight line with our ambitions to develop our flexible services, indispensable for the stability of the European electric network” said Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia. “As historical players on the Hungarian energy market we are happy to strengthen our presence and to contribute more to the balancing of the local electric system”.
„With the acquisition of the Gönyű Power Plant we can strengthen the strategy of our company group aiming at increasing the efficiency of power production and the use of renewable energy resources. This transaction also increases our professional commitment to the Hungarian energy sector where we have been present for more than 25 years. Our know-how and experience povide guarantee that we will successfully integrate and safely operate the plant in the long term” ─ added György Palkó, Country Director of the Veolia Hungary Group.
The transaction is expected to be closed in Q3 of 2024.