Development in the year under review
- The Covid-19 pandemic adversely impacted the development of demand and financial key figures significantly.
- Increased capital expenditures and quality measures in the traction current supply.
- High supply reliability ensured even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
DB Netze Energy | 2020 | 2019 | Change | 2018 | ||
absolute | % | |||||
Supply reliability (%) | 99.99 1) | 99.99 1) | – | – | 99.99 1) | |
Customer satisfaction (SI) | 77 | 78 | – | – | 78 | |
Customer satisfaction, traction current and diesel (SI) | 71 | 71 | – | – | 75 | |
Customer satisfaction, electricity and gas plus (intra-Group customers) (SI) | 76 | 78 | – | – | 79 | |
Customer satisfaction, electricity and gas plus (non-Group customers) (SI) | 85 | 86 | – | – | 81 | |
Traction current (16.7 Hz and direct current) (GWh) | 7,263 | 7,986 | –723 | –9.1 | 8,245 | |
Traction current pass-through (16.7 Hz) (GWh) | 1,985 | 1,566 | +419 | +26.8 | 1,576 | |
Stationary energy (50 Hz and 16.7 Hz) (GWh) | 14,063 | 14,932 | –869 | –5.8 | 18,196 | |
Diesel fuel (million l) | 385.7 | 410.6 | –24.9 | –6.1 | 429.6 | |
Total revenues (€ million) | 2,724 | 2,812 | –88 | –3.1 | 2,850 | |
External revenues (€ million) | 1,297 | 1,308 | –11 | –0.8 | 1,350 | |
EBITDA adjusted (€ million) | 91 | 128 | –37 | –28.9 | 87 | |
EBIT adjusted (€ million) | 5 | 43 | –38 | –88.4 | 21 | |
Gross capital expenditures (€ million) | 273 | 193 | + 80 | + 41.5 | 187 | |
Net capital expenditures (€ million) | 51 | 61 | –10 | –16.4 | 65 | |
Employees as of Dec 31 (FTE) | 1,861 | 1,772 | + 89 | + 5.0 | 1,734 | |
Employee satisfaction (SI) | 4.0 | – | – | – | 3.8 | |
Share of women as of Dec 31 (%) | 14.4 | 13.3 | – | – | 13.8 | |
Share of renewable energies in the DB traction current mix (%) | 61.4 | 60.1 | – | – | 57.2 | |
1) Preliminary figure (not rounded).
The high level of supply reliability was maintained.
Customer satisfaction was roughly stable at a very good level. Competence and reliability were assessed positively across all product areas. There were improvements in the area of traction current as the delays in the settlement process during the previous year were rectified.
Volumes largely declined as a result of Covid-19:
- Sales of traction current fell due to lower demand from intra-Group customers in passenger and freight trans- port as well as from non-Group customers mainly due to Covid-19.
- The traction energy that was conducted for non-Group customers increased as a result of the shift away from full power supply. In addition, non-periodic effects that had arisen in the previous year did not take effect in 2020.
- In the area of stationary energy, electricity sales declined significantly. The main factors were declines in demand from industrial customers due to Covid-19 and a reduction in portfolio optimization measures on the energy market. In contrast, an increase in demand was seen in business with private customers.
- The drop in demand for diesel fuels is primarily due to the development of intra-Group customers in regional transport.
Economic development was modest. The decline in volumes due to Covid-19 could only be partially offset by reduced energy procurement expenses. As a result, operating profit figures decreased as a result of the decline in income:
- Revenues declined mainly in the traction and stationary energy areas as a result of the volume development. Lower sales prices also had a negative impact on the diesel fuel area. The increase in demand in business with private customers had a slight positive effect.
- The decline in other operating income (–7.3 %/€ –6 million) was primarily due to the absence of one-time effects from the previous year. Higher income from technical services to internal customers partly compensated for this decline.
The negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the revenue side contrasted with positive effects on the cost of materials:
- The cost of materials fell (–2.5 %/€ –63 million). Lower sales volumes and diesel fuel procurement prices in particular led to reduced energy expenses. In the areas of traction and stationary electricity, the decrease in energy expenses, which was largely due to lower volumes, was overshadowed by price effects.
However, the other expenses items moved in the opposite direction, partly offsetting the decreased cost of materials:
- Personnel expenses (+3.1 %/€ +4 million) increased as a result of a higher number of employees and collective bargaining agreements.
- In other operating expenses (+4.8 %/€ +6 million), higher IT services essentially led to an increase. On the other hand, lower impairments on receivables had the effect of reducing expenses.
- Depreciation (+1.2 %/€ +1 million) was at the same level as in the previous year.
Gross capital expenditures rose significantly as a result of additional Federal funds from LuFV III. Net capital expenditures decreased as a result of the hydroelectric projects and lower shares of DB funds in demolition work during the previous year.
The number of employees increased above all in order to handle the higher project volume arising from LuFV III as well as to allow quality assurance in network operations.
Employee satisfaction increased significantly. In particular, solidarity with DB Energie GmbH and overall satisfaction with it as an employer have improved significantly. A large majority would recommend DB Energie GmbH as an employer to their friends. The compass index was in the upper average range at 64 %.
The share of women increased significantly compared to the previous year.
The share of renewable energies in the DB traction current mix increased further.
