French play opens possibility for majority holding

A sell off of almost 12% of the stock in Energie Baden-Wurttemberg (EnBW) by Deutsche Bank and HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt has seen the French giant Electricite de France (EdF) emerge with almost 45% of EnBW. With half the latest sale going to EdF, the remainder went to Oberschwabische Elektrizitatswerke (OEW), an alliance of nine German regional municipal services group. OEW now owns just over 40% of EnBW. While some reports have suggested local opposition will prevent EdF from compiling a majority stake in EnBW, the latest moves have, nonetheless, prompted fears that EdF will use its position to sell cheap nuclear generated energy into the German market.