Stadtwerke Bochum

Stadtwerke Bochum is the municipal utility company of Bochum, Germany, operating under the umbrella of Stadtwerke Bochum Holding GmbH. It supplies private and commercial customers with electricity, gas, water, and heat, and offers energy-related services. The group also includes Stadtwerke Bochum GmbH (sales) and Stadtwerke Bochum Netz GmbH (network operations) as wholly owned subsidiaries. Through Glasfaser Ruhr GmbH & Co. KG, it is active in telecommunications and infrastructure services. In the 2022 financial year, the electricity network length was 4,352.51 km, the gas network 1,499.3 km, and the water network 1,171.7 km. Around 750 employees worked for the Stadtwerke Bochum Group in 2022. The company traces its origins to the Stadt Bochumer Gas-Anstalt, founded on 13 April 1855, making it one of the oldest municipal utilities in Germany. It has since expanded into district heating, renewable energy, e-mobility, and broadband. Its product portfolio includes electricity and gas tariffs, district heating, water, photovoltaic systems, wallboxes, charging cards, and telecommunications products. The company is wholly owned by the City of Bochum and is a key player in the region's energy transition.

The history of Stadtwerke Bochum dates back to 13 April 1855, when the Stadt Bochumer Gas-Anstalt was founded to introduce public gas lighting. It was the first gas utility in Westphalia and was located next to the Bochumer Verein on Gußstahlstraße. In its first year, it supplied 150 households in a city of 6,600 inhabitants and operated 54 gas lanterns. In 1871, the company installed the first water pipeline in the city, and in 1892 it built the first electricity plant near Bochum City Hall. After World War II, the administration moved near the newly built main railway station. Plans for the modern Stadtwerke high-rise were designed in 1952 by architect Ferdinand Keilmann of the municipal building department. In 1954, the company began building Bochum's district heating network. Since 1964, Stadtwerke Bochum has held shares in "Wasserwerk für das nördliche westfälische Kohlerevier AG", the predecessor of Gelsenwasser AG. In 1972, Stadtwerke Bochum was converted into a GmbH. Three years later, the Hiltrop power plant was commissioned. In 1995, the company started biogas utilisation in Bochum with the commissioning of the Kornharpen landfill gas combined heat and power plant. In 1998, together with Stadtwerke Herne and Witten, it founded Energie- und Wasserversorgung Mittleres Ruhrgebiet GmbH, which procures and trades energy and water for the three utilities. In 2003, Stadtwerke Bochum and Stadtwerke Dortmund acquired 80.5% of Gelsenwasser AG shares from E.ON. Through the joint subsidiary Wasser und Gas Westfalen GmbH (WGW), in which each holds 50%, they hold 92.9% of Gelsenwasser AG. In December 2004, the company moved into a new administrative building 56 metres high with 16 floors, including 5 flat floors, with a gross floor area of 21,300 m², designed to low-energy standards by architects Gatermann + Schossig. In 2007, the Gnodstadt solar power plant was commissioned. Two years later, the Bochum utility acquired wind turbines in Bremerhaven. In 2010, together with Dortmunder Energie- und Wasserversorgung GmbH, Energieversorgung Oberhausen AG, Dortmunder Stadtwerke AG, and the utilities of Essen, Dinslaken, and Duisburg, it acquired 51% of power producer Steag GmbH through the jointly founded Kommunale Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (KSBG). Four years later, full takeover of Steag followed. In 2015, the modernised Hiltrop combined heat and power plant was commissioned, providing around 50% of district heating generation for Bochum. Also in 2015, the Trianel Windpark Borkum (TWB) went into operation as the first offshore wind farm operated by a municipal consortium; Stadtwerke Bochum was the largest of 34 shareholders with an 18.46% stake and an investment volume of €180 million. In 2016, the company participated in the construction of the second section of Trianel Windpark Borkum and in Trianel Erneuerbare Energien. It also launched the "Bock auf Bochum" campaign. Since 2016, it has regularly founded energy efficiency networks for Bochum companies. In 2018, the new combined heat and power plant of Unique Wärme GmbH & Co. KG started operation to supply heat to Querenburg and Ruhr University, a project developed in cooperation between Stadtwerke Bochum and Ruhr University Bochum. About 1,500 metres of new district heating pipes were laid. In 2018, the company also announced plans for an energy concept for the Mark 51°7 commercial site in Laer together with GeothermieZentrum Bochum, using mine water for heating and cooling. As of 2024, the supply technology is under construction and is expected to go into operation around 2026/2027. On 10 July 2019, Stadtwerke Bochum founded the registered trademark Stadtwerkedrive for e-mobility. In 2020, it built a comprehensive LoRaWAN network in Bochum and began participating in new energy projects.

• 2020

  Built comprehensive LoRaWAN network in Bochum.

• 2019

  Registered trademark Stadtwerkedrive for e-mobility on 10 July.

• 2018

  Unique Wärme CHP plant started operation; announced Mark 51°7 energy concept.

• 2016

  Participated in second section of Trianel Windpark Borkum; launched 'Bock auf Bochum' campaign; started energy efficiency networks.

• 2015

  Modernised Hiltrop CHP plant commissioned; Trianel Windpark Borkum offshore wind farm operational.

• 2014

  Full takeover of Steag GmbH.

• 2010

  Acquired 51% of Steag GmbH as part of municipal consortium KSBG.

• 2009

  Acquired wind turbines in Bremerhaven.

• 2007

  Commissioned Gnodstadt solar power plant.

• 2004

  Moved into new 56-metre administrative building.

• 2003

  Acquired 80.5% of Gelsenwasser AG shares from E.ON together with Stadtwerke Dortmund.

• 1998

  Co-founded Energie- und Wasserversorgung Mittleres Ruhrgebiet GmbH with Stadtwerke Herne and Witten.

• 1995

  Commissioned Kornharpen landfill gas CHP plant, starting biogas utilisation.

• 1975

  Hiltrop power plant commissioned.

• 1972

  Converted into a GmbH.

• 1964

  Acquired shares in predecessor of Gelsenwasser AG.

• 1954

  Start of district heating network construction.

• 1892

  First electricity plant built near Bochum City Hall.

• 1871

  First water pipeline installed in Bochum.

• 1855

  Stadt Bochumer Gas-Anstalt founded on 13 April, first gas utility in Westphalia.

Customer-oriented, innovative, and reliable municipal utility providing comprehensive energy and infrastructure services to Bochum.

• StadtwerkeFlex

  Dynamic electricity tariff.

• Stadtwerkedrive

  360° e-mobility solution including charging stations, wallboxes, and charging cards.

• Solar package

  Photovoltaic systems for self-generation of electricity.

• District heating packages

  Various district heating products for Bochum.

• Wallbox

  Home charging station for electric vehicles.

• Bock auf Bochum
• Werfen Sie Ihren Alten raus!

1. 1Stadtwerke Bochum official websitestadtwerke-bochum.de
2. 2Stadtwerke Bochum - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Stadtwerke Bochum - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Kundenservice für Privatkunden - Stadtwerke Bochumstadtwerke-bochum.de
5. 5Alle Informationen über unser Unternehmen kennenlernen | Stadtwerke Bochumstadtwerke-bochum.de
6. 6Förderprogramme - Wir helfen Ihnen Geld zu sparen | Stadtwerke Bochumstadtwerke-bochum.de