Energy crisis: Uniper pays back 2.6 billion euros to German state

The energy company Uniper, which was rescued during the energy crisis with billions in aid, will pay Germany back slightly more in the coming weeks than announced in the autumn. A payment of 2.6 billion euros to the Federal Republic of Germany is planned for the first quarter, Uniper announced in Düsseldorf. Previously, the figure had been 2.5 billion euros. The company is thus complying with a requirement of the EU Commission.

Uniper is currently almost entirely owned by the federal government. However, Germany must reduce its stake to a maximum of 25 percent plus one share by the end of 2028.

Uniper fell into crisis in 2022 after Russia first reduced and then stopped its gas supplies following the attack on Ukraine. The replacement purchases cost billions. To ensure Uniper could survive, Germany paid aid of around 13.5 billion euros and became the majority owner with more than 99 percent.

Uniper had already made an initial repayment of 530 million euros to the German state at the end of September. This was money that Uniper had withheld in August 2022 in the course of the gas dispute with the Russian company Gazprom, when the latter stopped supplying gas.