German vice chancellor remains committed to TenneT takeover, reports Rheinische Post
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German vice chancellor and economics minister Robert Habeck remains committed to the takeover of Dutch grid operator TenneT, German newspaper Rheinische Post reported on Wednesday.
"I still think it makes sense for the state to ensure that such important infrastructure remains in good hands," Habeck told the German regional daily newspaper.
Despite so far inconclusive negotiations, the economics minister said the talks are not over yet, and the German government will continue to talk to the Dutch government about the takeover, emphasizing the importance of network expansion.
Earlier this month, TenneT said it was reviewing funding options for its German operations, including a potential listing or sale to a third party, given that no agreement had been reached between The Hague and Berlin.
Habeck also spoke about reducing network costs as much as possible. To achieve this, the German government is looking into providing system services more cheaply, such as technology with which the network can be operated stably, the report said.
(Reporting by Emma-Victoria Farr, editing by Chizu Nomiyama)