The Hannover-based utility PreussenElektra and Hamburg utility HEW are negotiating an amalgamation of their nuclear activities. The move is aimed at improving competitive strength in the light of the forthcoming liberalization of the electricity market in the European Union.

The two companies jointly own four nuclear power plants at Stade, Brunsbüttel, Krümmel and Brokdorf. PreussenElektra owns or has shares in a further four plants, at Unterweser, Grohnde, Lingen and Würgassen which are being decommissioned.

The plans to merge the nuclear activities make sense in the context of PreussenElektra’s corporate reorganization which will result in separate companies taking charge of conventional power generation, nuclear generation, transmission and distribution.