German government mulls stake in Dutch grid operator TenneT

BERLIN (AP) — The German government says it is considering taking a stake in Dutch grid operator TenneT, which has a large footprint in Germany. Germany already has a minority stake in rival grid operator 50 Hertz and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said Wednesday there were talks with TenneT too. Habeck declined to provide details on the talks but said he considers it “politically wise and necessary” for the state to support the creation of vital public infrastructure such as transmission networks. TenneT operates electricity grids across a large swath of Germany. Those transmission lines are crucial for Germany’s plans to completely shift its power production from fossil fuels to renewable energy by 2045 at the latest.