Stadtwerke Gießen

Stadtwerke Gießen AG (SWG) is the regional municipal utility company serving the city of Gießen and the surrounding Central Hesse (Mittelhessen) region in Germany. As a classic Stadtwerk, it bundles a broad range of municipal services under one corporate roof: electricity, natural gas and district heating supply, drinking water delivery to several towns and municipalities, local public transport, and public swimming baths. The company describes itself as a reliable supplier of electricity, natural gas and district heating as well as drinking water, and notes that in addition to energy and water it takes care of Gießen's local transport and public baths. The company is wholly owned by the City of Gießen. It was founded in 1938 as a municipal enterprise (Eigenbetrieb) by merging four predecessor companies, and in 2002 it changed its legal form from a municipal Eigenbetrieb into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft), with the City of Gießen as sole shareholder. Its roots reach much further back, however: municipal water pumping began in 1830, the Gießen gas lighting contract was concluded in 1855, the municipal gas and water works were founded in 1887, the first local transport with horse omnibuses started in 1894, the Volksbad opened in 1898, the electricity works went into operation in 1901, and electric trams ran from 1909. Today SWG operates electricity, gas and heat networks across a substantial service territory and supplies drinking water to various municipalities. Its electricity network area covers roughly 393 km² with 16 supplied municipalities and about 89,661 customers; its natural gas network area covers about 264 km² with 9 municipalities and around 25,082 customers; and its heat network area covers about 155.6 km² with 12 municipalities. The company employs around 800 people and is an employer, training organisation and client for the local economy. Beyond its core utility business, SWG holds the concession for the city bus lines in Gießen, with the operational bus service handled by its subsidiary MIT.BUS GmbH. It also operates several public baths, including the Westbad, the Hallenbad Ringallee, the Freibad Ringallee, the Freibad Kleinlinden and the Freibad Lützellinden. Through its En5 energy services programme, it offers energy-saving and contracting solutions to large consumers such as industry, property managers, municipalities, hospitals and care homes. SWG positions itself as an engine of the regional energy transition, developing solutions in energy efficiency, electromobility and smart technology, and maintaining a broad commitment to sport, social affairs and culture in the region.

The history of what is now Stadtwerke Gießen reaches back to the early 19th century, when the city began organising modern municipal infrastructure. In 1830 the first municipal water pumping began with 350 metres of pipeline. In 1855 the "Gießener Gasbeleuchtungsvertrag" (Gießen gas lighting contract) was concluded, and a year later the gas works went into operation. In 1887 the municipal gas and water works (städtisches Gas- und Wasserwerk) were founded. Local transport followed in 1894 with the opening of the first public transport in Gießen using horse omnibuses between the railway station and Grünberger Straße. In 1898 the "Gießener Volksbad" was inaugurated. In 1901 the electricity works went into operation, producing electricity from hydropower. In 1909 electric trams began running on the first two lines. In 1938, four companies were merged to create Stadtwerke Gießen as a municipal enterprise (Eigenbetrieb) of the city. In 1953 the Gießen gas factory was closed and the town was connected to the long-distance gas network of Ruhrgas AG. In the same year the tram service ceased and trolleybuses took over the line service. In 1957 the four trolleybus lines were converted to diesel operation. In 1969, under director Heinrich Becker — employed there since 1964 and serving as commercial works manager from 1971 — the Stadtwerke converted from town gas to natural gas. In 1994 the infoZentrum at the Marktplatz was opened. In 2002 the Stadtwerke changed their legal form from a municipal Eigenbetrieb to a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft), with the City of Gießen as sole shareholder. In 2003 the Stadtwerke acquired Verkehrsbetriebe Pfeiffer GmbH. In May 2012 the newly redesigned customer centre at Gießen's Marktplatz reopened after 15 months of renovation. Over the decades the company has built a portfolio of subsidiaries and holdings. As of 2015 these included MIT.BUS GmbH (100%), the operator of Gießen city buses; Mittelhessen Netz GmbH (100%); Elektrizitätswerk Hammermühle Versorgungs GmbH (100%); Heizkraftwerk Gießen GmbH (74.9%); MIT.Bio Biogasanlage Großen-Buseck GmbH (51%); MIT.Bio Biogasanlage Heuchelheim GmbH (51%); Energiezentrale Universitätsklinikum Gießen GmbH (50%); UGE Holzhausen GmbH Co. KG (20.5%); fünfwerke GmbH & Co. KG (20%); Energiegesellschaft Lumdatal GmbH (20%); Beteiligungsgesellschaft Gemeinsamer Strombezug GmbH (18%); KoM-Solution GmbH (15%); Solarpark Fernwald GmbH & Co. KG (10%); Windpool GmbH & Co. KG (5%); and Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (3.7%). In the 21st century SWG has positioned itself as an engine of the regional energy transition, developing energy-efficiency, electromobility and smart-technology solutions, and offering its En5 energy services programme to large consumers. Its En5 team implemented a climate-friendly heat supply for eight apartment blocks and 36 semi-detached houses with a total of 81 residential units in the Gießen district of Lützellinden, a project awarded second prize in the "Hessian Contracting Prize 2021 for Innovative Service Concepts" competition.

• 2021

  The En5 project in Lützellinden is awarded second prize in the "Hessian Contracting Prize 2021 for Innovative Service Concepts".

• 2012

  The newly redesigned customer centre at Gießen's Marktplatz reopens after 15 months of renovation.

• 2003

  The Stadtwerke acquires Verkehrsbetriebe Pfeiffer GmbH.

• 2002

  The Stadtwerke changes its legal form from a municipal Eigenbetrieb to a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft), with the City of Gießen as sole shareholder.

• 1994

  The infoZentrum at the Marktplatz is opened.

• 1969

  Under director Heinrich Becker, the Stadtwerke converts from town gas to natural gas.

• 1957

  The four trolleybus lines are converted to diesel operation.

• 1953

  The Gießen gas factory closes and the town connects to the Ruhrgas AG long-distance gas network; tram service ends and trolleybuses take over.

• 1938

  Stadtwerke Gießen is founded as a municipal enterprise by merging four companies.

• 1909

  Electric trams begin running on the first two lines.

• 1901

  The electricity works goes into operation, producing electricity from hydropower.

• 1898

  The "Gießener Volksbad" is inaugurated.

• 1894

  First local transport in Gießen opens with horse omnibuses between the railway station and Grünberger Straße.

• 1887

  The municipal gas and water works are founded.

• 1856

  The gas works goes into operation.

• 1855

  The "Gießener Gasbeleuchtungsvertrag" (Gießen gas lighting contract) is concluded.

• 1830

  First municipal water pumping begins with 350 metres of pipeline.

Regional municipal utility and engine of the energy transition, combining reliable energy and water supply with local transport, baths and community commitment in Central Hesse.

• Electricity supply

  Electricity supply across a network area of about 393.1 km² covering 16 municipalities and around 89,661 customers.

• Natural gas supply

  Natural gas supply across a network area of about 264.1 km² covering 9 municipalities and around 25,082 customers.

• District heating

  Heat supply across a network area of about 155.6 km² covering 12 municipalities, with a total connected load of 320.2 MW and a pipeline network (including cooling network) of 183.9 km.

• Drinking water supply

  Drinking water delivery to various towns and municipalities in the region.

• Local public transport

  Concession holder for the city bus lines in Gießen, with operational bus service handled by subsidiary MIT.BUS GmbH.

• Public baths

  Operation of public swimming baths including Westbad, Hallenbad Ringallee, Freibad Ringallee, Freibad Kleinlinden and Freibad Lützellinden.

• En5 energy services

  An energy-saving programme with five components — energy services, energy supply and energy contracting — offered individually or in combination to industry, commerce, property managers, municipalities, hospitals and care homes.

1. 1Home page - Stadtwerke Gießen AGstadtwerke-giessen.de
2. 2En5 Energy services - Stadtwerke Gießen AGstadtwerke-giessen.de
3. 3About us - Stadtwerke Gießen AGstadtwerke-giessen.de
4. 4En5 Energy services - Stadtwerke Gießen AGstadtwerke-giessen.de
5. 5Stadtwerke Gießenwikidata.org
6. 6Stadtwerke Gießende.wikipedia.org