VERBUND as Supplier of Lower Austrian Economic Chamber’s Power Pool

The deal was sealed today. More than 2,000 business enterprises, comprising 3,100 individual installations, have registered for this open power pool so far; the targeted total volume amounts to more than 160 million kWh.

Ms. Sonja Zwazl, President of the Economic Chamber, says she has reached her goal as principal of the Lower Austrian power pool: "We wanted the members of the Lower Austrian Economic Chamber to clearly profit from the liberalization of the power market right from the beginning. Thanks to the ÖEKV’s independent tendering- and screening process we have been successful. The small and medium-sized Lower Austrian enterprises are now invited to register with the power pool and profit from considerable cuts in the power rate from 10-01-2001 on."

"We are pleased with the fact that the Lower Austrian business world has chosen VERBUND as its partner", said Mr. Hans Haider, Chairman of the VERBUND Board of Management. "With its current market offensive VERBUND has assumed the role of price cutter and breaker of the monopoly. Starting next October the Lower Austrian power clients will save a lot of money. The power pool will make an important contribution to strengthening the competitiveness of the business enterprises."

The award to VERBUND had been preceded by an international request for bids and a multistage screening process. VERBUND was able to prevail as highest bidder against toughest Austrian and international competition. "In addition to the favorable price and evident competence of VERBUND as reliable supplier we and our client naturally also appreciate the fact that the origin of the energy source is beyond reproach", Dr. Franz Urban from ÖEKV summarized the major selection criteria.