Core market – The Netherlands

In the Netherlands, Vattenfall produces and supplies electricity, heat, gas and cooling and offers its customers a range of energy-saving products and services.

Through its Dutch subsidiary Nuon, Vattenfall is

• the largest electricity supplier
• the largest supplier of retail gas, based on the numbers of consumers
• the third largest electricity generator
• the second largest heat producer

Nuon also has a portfolio of Value Added Services.

Power is predominantly generated in thermal power plants. Nuon serves around 2.6 million consumers, businesses and organisations in the Netherlands and in Belgium.

Nuon also has its own gas storage facility in Epe, Germany, which makes it possible to respond more easily to daily fluctuations in supply and demand on the gas market.

The Dutch market

The Netherlands is a significant producer and exporter of natural gas but is also depending on energy imports for oil and coal. Electricity is generated mainly from natural gas and coal. The use of renewable energy sources has been increasing. The Netherlands also has one nuclear power plant, in Borssele. Hydro power only makes a modest contribution to the energy supply.

The four largest producers of electricity in the Netherlands are Electrabel (part of GDF SUEZ), E.ON Benelux, Essent (part of RWE) and Nuon.

Brief history

In 2009, Vattenfall AB acquired 49 per cent of the Noun shares from the previous owners, a number of Dutch provinces and cities. Vattenfall currently owns 64 per cent and will acquire the remaining 36 per cent in two tranches: in July 2013 and 2015.