Sales

Group electricity sales amounted to 76,690 GWh (including own consumption). Of this amount, approx. 33,828 GWh was sold on the domestic market and the remaining 41,416 GWh was sold abroad. This corresponds to an increase of 8 % compared to 2002. Verbund operates in three main customer segments: end customers, resellers and traders in Austria and abroad.

SALES				GWh
	2001	2002	2003	Change
Traders	28,867	36,400	34,049	–6 %
Resellers	21,417	27,393	30,245	+10 %
End customers	3,704	5,673	7,577	+34 %
Eco-electricity	-	-	3,278	–
Own consumption	1,497	1,535	1,540	+0 %
Group consumption	55,485	71,001	76,690	+8 %
Controlling companies – Trading/Sales: VERBUND-Austrian Power Trading AG (APT) VERBUND-Austrian Power Vertriebs GmbH (APC)

The group managed to further enhance its strong market position in business with end customers and resellers. In total, sales to final customers climbed by 34 % to 7,577 GWh and sales to resellers rose by 10 % to 30,245 GWh. The volume of eco-electricity sold came to 3,278 GWh. Sales in the trading area deteriorated by 6 % to 34,049 GWh on account of the conservative trading strategy and the "bookout” agreements (setting off equivalent purchasing and selling transactions against pay-out of the difference). Own consumption more or less remained constant at 1,540 GWh.

A breakdown of sales on the basis of regional markets clearly shows that the majority of the volumes sold were sold outside of Austria. More than half of the total sales volume was supplied to the core sales markets Germany, Italy and France.

In Austria, 4,975 GWh was sold to end customers (this corresponds to 66 % of total sales to end customers) and 22,599 GWh was sold to resellers (75 % of total sales to resellers). Over the last few years, Verbund has, in addition to promoting business with resellers, established a second mainstay in the commercial and industrial segment. Verbund achieved a market share of just under 20 % in the Austrian business customer market.

Sales to foreign markets also increased. A total of 2,602 GWh was sold to end customers (34 % of total sales to end customers) and 7,709 GWh was sold to resellers (25 % of total sales to resellers). Just under 80 % of foreign business can be apportioned to the German market, 11 % to the French market, 4 % to the Italian market and a further 6 % to the Slovenian market.

FOREIGN SALES

Verbund managed, above all, to further strengthen its position on the German wholesale market. The targeted distribution customers include medium-sized public utilities, top customers from major industries and traders that specialize in green electricity. Customer loyalty was greatly enhanced through marketing services designed to support the customers when selling green electricity.

The high share of hydropower generation is becoming more important due to the increasing relevance of renewable energies and the development of a separate certificate market. Sales on the German and Italian markets were up significantly. The domestic provincial companies also purchased TÜV-certified, hydropower-generated electricity from Verbund. The setting up of schemes that provide proof of origin for electricity across the EU and the obligation of the resellers to state the place of origin on their invoices is likely to lead to a greater demand for eco-electricity in the future and should also enhance the significance of green electricity certificate trading.

Cross-border trading with Italy was up 33 %. Supplies to Energia S.p.A., in which Verbund holds a 25.5 % interest, exceeded the high level reported the previous year. The situation in France was similar with significant improvements being recorded in the trading area as well as in the end customer segment. A market share of 16 % was achieved on the Slovenian market. Here, the customer base essentially comprised major industrial companies, electricity traders and resellers. Large volumes were – similar to the situation in France – also passed on to Italian customers.