Czech EPH among bidders for German energy company Uniper – Reuters

Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky is one of the potential bidders for the purchase of German state-owned energy company Uniper. Reuters reports this with reference to sources.

Berlin, according to insiders, is considering selling its stake in Uniper, which currently stands at 99.12%. The company had to be nationalized during the energy crisis in Europe in 2022. Options range from partial to full sale of the holding.

A representative of the German Ministry of Finance noted that the state is considering all scenarios for reducing its stake. However, no decision has been made yet on the timing and structure of any deal.

According to the agreement with the European Commission on financial assistance, Germany must reduce its stake in Uniper to at least 25% plus one share by 2028. The company itself must sell a number of assets by the end of 2026, including the Datteln coal-fired power plant.

According to one source, the Czech energy holding company EPH, majority owned by Kretinsky’s EPCG, is involved in the process. Earlier, insiders noted that other bidders include the New York-based Brookfield fund, Norway’s Equinor, and TAQA from Abu Dhabi.

Uniper is currently valued at almost €19 billion. The sale of the company’s stake could become one of the largest European deals in 2025.

EPH and Uniper declined to comment on the matter.

The German government spent €13.5 billion to rescue Uniper. Any transaction that defines the company as critical infrastructure will be subject to comprehensive regulatory review, the sources said. In 2024, Uniper supplied about a quarter of the gas used in Germany and is the country’s largest gas storage operator. It also manages almost a quarter of Germany’s systemically important power capacities.

Last August, Thyssenkrupp completed the sale of 20% of its steel division Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe to Czech energy company EPCG. The parties are discussing the purchase of another 30% to form a 50/50 joint venture.