Uniper has reaffirmed plans to invest approximately €5 billion between 2025 and 2030 in energy security and the transformation of European power systems. Around half of the investment program is expected to be directed toward projects in Germany.
The European energy company plans to allocate capital across flexible power generation, renewable energy, hydropower, hydrogen-ready assets and the expansion of its gas procurement portfolio.
Uniper said its strategy is designed to balance security of supply, competitiveness and decarbonization as European energy markets respond to geopolitical, regulatory and technological changes.
The company will continue operating through its Green Generation, Flexible Generation and Greener Commodities business segments.
Each segment will support Uniper’s gradual decarbonization through measures including the phaseout of coal, renewable energy development and investments in power plants that could eventually operate using hydrogen or carbon capture technology.
By 2030, Uniper aims to operate between 15 and 20 gigawatts of power generation capacity.
At least half of that capacity is expected to come from renewable, low-carbon or decarbonizable assets.
More than half of Uniper’s planned investment through 2030 will be allocated to its Flexible Generation segment.
Flexible generation assets can increase or reduce output in response to changes in electricity demand and renewable energy production.
These facilities are expected to remain important as European energy systems add more wind and solar power, which can produce varying amounts of electricity depending on weather conditions.
Uniper’s project pipeline includes newly constructed power plants, site developments, life extensions, plant modernization programs and conversions of existing facilities.
Some projects are being designed to become hydrogen-ready or compatible with carbon capture and storage.
Uniper expects Germany’s StromVKG tenders, scheduled for September and December 2026, to support a significant portion of its planned investments.
The company intends to participate with two hydrogen-ready power plant projects at its Gelsenkirchen-Scholven and Staudinger sites.
The two projects would have a combined generation capacity of approximately 1.7 gigawatts.
Uniper said both projects are at advanced stages of technical planning and site preparation.
The company is also evaluating opportunities in Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Netherlands.
These include the Connah’s Quay project in the United Kingdom, which is being developed with carbon capture and storage integration.
In Sweden, Uniper is pursuing a conversion project at Karlshamn.
Across these projects, the company aims to decarbonize approximately 1.7 gigawatts of capacity by 2030.
Approximately one-third of the €5 billion investment program is expected to support Uniper’s Green Generation segment.
The company plans to invest in renewable energy development and the modernization of existing hydropower facilities.
Uniper is targeting investment decisions covering an average of up to 500 megawatts of solar and wind projects annually.
Projects currently underway include the 160-megawatt Happurg pumped-storage hydropower facility in Germany.
Pumped-storage plants can store energy by moving water to an elevated reservoir when electricity is available and generating power when demand rises.
Uniper is also developing a 54-megawatt expansion of hydropower capacity along Sweden’s Ume River.
Within its Greener Commodities segment, Uniper plans to diversify and expand its natural gas procurement portfolio.
The company maintains a medium-term target of increasing the portfolio to between 250 and 300 terawatt-hours, primarily through long-term supply agreements.
Uniper has secured contracts with suppliers including Woodside in Australia, Tourmaline in Canada and ConocoPhillips in the United States.
The broader supply portfolio is intended to support customers in Germany, including approximately 1,000 municipal utilities and industrial companies.
Uniper also operates a large gas storage portfolio that supports supply security during periods of elevated demand or market disruption.
Alongside conventional natural gas, the company is expanding its activities involving renewable gases, low-carbon gases and hydrogen.
At the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park, Uniper and its consortium partners are demonstrating a hydrogen value chain spanning production, storage, transportation, marketing and final use.
Uniper is also pursuing opportunities connected to the expansion of European data center infrastructure.
Data centers require substantial amounts of reliable electricity and are often located near strong grid connections and suitable development sites.
Uniper plans to generate revenue by selling or leasing company-owned sites, participating in selected projects and entering structured power purchase agreements.
The company may also supply electricity directly from its generation portfolio where commercially viable.
Uniper has identified more than 10 company-owned locations that could support data center development.
Three projects are at advanced stages, and the company expects additional financial investment decisions during 2026.
Uniper has already completed its first data center-related project in the United Kingdom.
The company believes the data center opportunity could generate meaningful earnings with comparatively limited capital requirements.
Long-term agreements with data center operators could also increase the proportion of Uniper’s earnings supported by contracts.
Uniper said its investment program is supported by approximately €12 billion in equity and a net cash position of around €2.8 billion at the end of 2025.
S&P, Scope and Fitch have assigned Uniper investment-grade credit ratings.
The company currently has approximately 18.5 gigawatts of generation capacity and operates primarily across Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Uniper is also a major European gas trader, liquefied natural gas importer and operator of gas storage and hydropower assets.
KEY QUOTE:
“Uniper’s strategy is firmly focused on the future: We invest where supply security, competitiveness, and decarbonization converge. We provide reliable solutions to key energy policy and economic challenges. With our sharpened investment focus, we are directing additional capital toward flexible generation and intend to invest particularly in Germany, where the need for secure capacity, modern power plant infrastructure, and hydrogen-ready assets continues to grow. The rapid expansion of digital infrastructure is creating new opportunities. The growing power demand of data centers requires reliable, high-performance, and long-term energy supply solutions. With our sites, grid connectivity, and deep energy market expertise, we are well positioned to support this growing market and help shape Europe’s digital transformation.”
Michael Lewis, CEO of Uniper
