Russia's gas export monopoly Gazprom and Germany's E.ON, one of Europe's biggest purchasers of Russian gas, may develop joint projects in the electrical power industry, Gazprom said late on Thursday, RIA Novosti reports.
In June, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said the company did not rule out buying stakes in German energy companies, but had received no concrete proposals.
On Thursday, Gazprom signed an agreement under which it will merge its power division with assets belonging to oligarch Viktor Vekselberg.
Vekselberg's Renova Group will transfer its stakes in four Russian power plants to Gazprom's electricity company in exchange for at least a quarter of the newly merged firm.
The government broke up state electricity monopoly UES three years ago and sold some generators to Russian businessmen and foreign companies including E.ON.
Gazprom has been gradually consolidating various power assets over the past year, including a recent merger between OGK-2 and OGK-6.
InterRAO, a state-controlled electricity trader created during privatization, has also been buying power assets to bring more of the industry under state control.
In June, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said the company did not rule out buying stakes in German energy companies, but had received no concrete proposals.
On Thursday, Gazprom signed an agreement under which it will merge its power division with assets belonging to oligarch Viktor Vekselberg.
Vekselberg's Renova Group will transfer its stakes in four Russian power plants to Gazprom's electricity company in exchange for at least a quarter of the newly merged firm.
The government broke up state electricity monopoly UES three years ago and sold some generators to Russian businessmen and foreign companies including E.ON.
Gazprom has been gradually consolidating various power assets over the past year, including a recent merger between OGK-2 and OGK-6.
InterRAO, a state-controlled electricity trader created during privatization, has also been buying power assets to bring more of the industry under state control.