RheinNetz

RheinNetz GmbH (RNG) is a German distribution network operator (Verteilnetzbetreiber) for electricity, gas and district heating, headquartered in Cologne. It is a subsidiary of the regional utility RheinEnergie. The company describes itself as the network operator in and around Cologne, and its activities centre on operating and maintaining the energy infrastructure that delivers power, gas and heat to households, businesses and public institutions in the region. With roughly 1,200 employees, RheinNetz supplies electricity to about two million people across an area of some 1,761 square kilometres. Its service portfolio covers the technical and commercial operation of distribution networks as well as customer-facing services related to connecting buildings and construction sites to the energy infrastructure. This includes construction power (Baustrom), energy supply and grid connections (Netzanschluss), supporting builders and developers through the process of linking new or renovated properties to the network. The company was founded in 2006 under the name Rheinische NETZGesellschaft mbH. As part of a structural realignment, it was renamed RheinNetz GmbH in 2025. The rebranding reflects its role as the dedicated network company within the RheinEnergie group, separating network operation from the group's energy sales and generation activities. As a regulated distribution network operator, RheinNetz operates within the German energy market framework, where network operators are subject to oversight by the federal network agency and are responsible for non-discriminatory access to their grids. Its regional focus is the Cologne area and its surroundings, a densely populated and economically significant part of North Rhine-Westphalia. RheinNetz's public-facing communications emphasise practical services for customers and partners: information on grid connections, construction projects, energy supply and the infrastructure that underpins them. The company positions itself as a reliable local infrastructure partner, combining technical expertise with proximity to the communities it serves.

RheinNetz GmbH was founded in 2006 under the name Rheinische NETZGesellschaft mbH. The company was established as the dedicated distribution network operator within the RheinEnergie group, responsible for operating the electricity, gas and district heating networks in the Cologne region. This structure separated network operation from the group's energy sales and generation businesses, in line with the regulatory requirements of the German energy market. For nearly two decades the company operated under the Rheinische NETZGesellschaft name, building and maintaining the infrastructure that delivers energy to around two million people across an area of approximately 1,761 square kilometres. With about 1,200 employees, it became a significant regional employer and infrastructure operator. In 2025, as part of a structural realignment, the company was renamed RheinNetz GmbH. The new name aligns the company's identity more closely with its parent brand RheinEnergie and with its regional focus on the Rhine area around Cologne. The rebranding was accompanied by a refreshed public presence, including the website rheinnetz.de, which presents the company as "Ihr Netzbetreiber in und um Köln" (your network operator in and around Cologne). Today RheinNetz continues to operate as a regulated distribution network operator, providing grid connection services, construction power and energy infrastructure for builders, businesses and residents in its service territory.

• 2025

  Renamed RheinNetz GmbH as part of a structural realignment.

• 2006

  Founded as Rheinische NETZGesellschaft mbH.

Regional distribution network operator for electricity, gas and district heating in and around Cologne, a subsidiary of RheinEnergie.

• Electricity distribution network

  Operation of the electricity distribution grid serving around two million people in the Cologne region.

• Gas distribution network

  Operation of the gas distribution network in the Cologne area.

• District heating network

  Operation of the district heating network in the Cologne area.

• Grid connection services

  Support for construction projects including Baustrom, energy supply and Netzanschluss.

1. 1Ihr Netzbetreiber in und um Köln | RheinNetzrheinnetz.de
2. 2Bauen: Anschluss an die Energieinfrastruktur | RheinNetzrheinnetz.de
3. 3RhineNetzwikidata.org
4. 4RheinNetzde.wikipedia.org