The move was prompted by the forthcoming liberalisation and it means that Atel is already complying with Switzerland's electricity market law and creating flexible and lean structures that are in line with the market. One of the pre-conditions for transparency in a liberalised electricity market is the separation in accounting terms of production, transmission and sup-ply (so-called 'unbundling').
Atel Transmission Ltd. was established on 8 December 2000 and covers Atel's entire high-voltage grid which ranges from 220 - 380 kV, including substations and switching stations. The managing director is Herbert Niklaus, former head of Atel's grid profit center.
Established on 11 December 2000, Atel Hydro AG is responsible for operating the three hy-droelectric stations on the river Aare, namely Flumenthal, Ruppoldingen and Gösgen which together have an annual production of around 500 mio. kWh. Urs Hofstetter is the managing director of the new company. He was formerly in charge of Atel's own power stations.
The Lucendro storage power station with control centres in Sella and Lucendro was hived off into the Airolo-based Atel Hydro Ticino SA which was established on 14 December 2000. The Ticino company is headed by Alfredo Baldi who was previously responsible for Atel's subsidiary in Bodio.
Aare-Tessin Ltd. for Electricity Corporate Communications