E.ON UK

Infobox_Company
company_name = E.ON UK plc
company_
company_type = Public
company_slogan =
foundation = 2004
location = Coventry, England, UK
key_people = Dr. Paul Golby, CEO
industry = Energy
products = Power and gas
num_employees = 22,000
parent = E.ON
homepage = [http://www.eon-uk.com www.eon-uk.com]

E.ON UK is an energy company in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of E.ON, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. It was formed after the acquisition of Powergen plc by E.ON AG, in 2002.

It is a vertically integrated utility company with interests in electrical generation, electricity distribution in the Midlands region, and in the electricity and gas supply markets.

History

Powergen was formed in 1990 when the Central Electricity Generating Board was split into three generating companies (Powergen, National Power and Nuclear Electric plc) and electricity transmission company, National Grid Company.

Powergen became a Public Limited Company, wholly-owned by the UK government. In March 1991, 60% of Powergen was sold to private investors, followed by the remaining 40% in March 1995.

It expanded considerably by acquiring the regional electricity company East Midlands Electricity and the supply business of TXU Energi. Powergen was eventually taken over itself by E.ON, an acquisition which was completed in January 2002.

It then went on and bought the Distribution Network Operator Midlands Electricity in 2004. This was merged with the distribution business of East Midlands Electricity and rebranded as Central Networks. The entire company was renamed as E.ON UK on July 5th 2004.

In January 2008, E.ON acquired West Midlands-based CHN Group, a provider of heating services to builders, local authorities and housing associations across the region. An intention to purchase the highway lighting and highway lighting PFI division of ABB was announced the following month.

The company's headquarters are in Coventry at Westwood Business Park, in a building designed by Bennetts Associates. There are numerous other offices and power generation sites across the country.

The company owns and operates Kingsnorth Power Station and is behind highly controversial plans to build a new coal power plant at the site.

Businesses and brands

UK businesses

E.ON UK's businesses comprise of:

*Generation
*Distribution (Central Networks)
*Retail
*Energy Services

Other UK businesses

E.ON's other operations in the UK include:

*E.ON Climate and Renewables - renewables and climate protection projects
*E.ON Engineering - engineering and technology
*E.ON Ruhrgas UK North Sea - oil and gas exploration and production, within the UK sector of the North Sea
*E.ON IS UK - the company's IT service provider

Brand evolution

In October 2005, "a company of E.ON" was added under the Powergen logo, communicating the relationship between Powergen and E.ON to the consumer marketplace.

In June 2007, a major advertising campaign entitled "The wind of change", containing advertisements using the E.ON logo, was launched. The campaign featured the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm in the Solway Firth, currently in development. In the consumer market, this was complimented by a replacement of the mostly blue Powergen identity to the red identity of E.ON, and the launch of a new product, Go Green, using electricity from renewable sources and carbon-offset gas.

On the 22 October 2007, the company announced that the E.ON Energy and Powergen brands would change to E.ON as of the 1 November and 3 December 2007 respectively. [cite web
url=http://pressreleases.eon-uk.com/blogs/eonukpressreleases/archive/2007/10/22/1131.aspx
publisher=E.ON
title=E.ON UK Press Releases, Powergen is changing to E.ON…
accessdate=2007-10-26]

Price variations

The most recent price announcement from E.ON was on 8th February 2008, with electricity prices increasing by 15% and gas by 9.7%. However, a significant number of its vulnerable customers are protected from price increases until 1st April 2008. [cite web
url=http://www.eonenergy.com/pricechange.htm?WT.mc_id=Price%20Change&WT.svl=8
publisher=E.ON
title=Details about our price change
accessdate=2008-02-08]

In February 2007, Powergen announced price decreases for gas (16%) and electricity (5%), following increases the previous August (gas by 18.4% and electricity by 9.7%) and May (gas by 22.4% and electricity by 18.4%). [cite web
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4801237.stm
publisher=The BBC
title=Powergen increases energy prices
accessdate=2008-02-08]

E.ON accompanies price variations with new price plans, or products, which cap energy prices, or give online customers greater savings.

ervice

E.ON UK has recently made progress in improving the standard of service it offers to its retail customers. In 2005 the company was ranked by Energywatch as one of the UK's worst suppliers. However, by the end of 2006 they were ranked the UK's second best - a position which they have held on to since this date.

ponsorship

ITV Weather

From the early 90s, Powergen visually sponsored the ITV Weather bulletins throughout the day (They were the official sponsors since ITV's launch in 1955). They were known for their memorable idents from weather themes circulating around the (or parts of) the Powergen logo, and from 1996, the Weathergens, a "mascot" of Powergen representing different types of weather. The sponsorship was dropped in 2007 and ITV Weather is now alternately sponsored by Sheila's Wheels and eSure.

Sport

In 2006, E.ON UK announced that it was to be the sponsor of the FA Cup for a four-year period. During this period, the competition is formally called "The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON". Prior to 2006, the company had sponsored the rugby union and rugby league cup competitions under the Powergen brand.

The company is the energy partner of the Football League, and sponsors the E.ON Lounge at the Ricoh Arena, the home of Coventry City Football Club.

In other sports, E.ON UK is also a sponsor of the Tour of Britain cycling championship, and in 2007 launched a campaign with Ellen MacArthur to encourage energy efficiency within businesses.

References

ee also

*Energy policy of the United Kingdom
*Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom

External links

* [http://www.eon-uk.com E.ON UK]
* [http://www.eonenergy.com E.ON - products and services for retail customers]
* [http://www.central-networks.co.uk Central Networks]
* [http://www.eon-ruhrgas-uk.com/ E.ON Ruhrgas UK]
* [http://www.eon-engineering.com/EONENGINEERING_eng.jsp E.ON Engineering]