Czech Republic Segment

General conditions in the Czech Republic

In the 2020/2021 fiscal year, a positive economic development was recorded in the Segment despite the tense COVID-19 situation in the Czech Republic. The measures taken by the Czech government due to the above-average number of COVID-19 cases compared to other members of the European Union, led to drastic restrictions in the daily lives of the population and also had a significant impact on companies, especially in the first half of the reporting period.

In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic that has prevailed since March 2020, Energie AG was perceived in the Czech Republic as a stable and increasingly attractive employer. Despite the generally challenging economic climate, it was possible to maintain operations in full and generate a stable contribution to earnings. The high level of job security in infrastructure business contributed to a further strengthening of the company's position on the labour market, which had been very tense from an employer's point of view until the COVID-19 pandemic.

The dynamic developments on the European energy markets also led to massive price increases for electricity and gas in the Czech Republic towards the end of the 2020/2021 fiscal year. In the gas sector, this specifically affects the heat supply companies during the winter months. Heat and hot water are generated regionally here, mainly with gas boilers and gas cogeneration. In terms of water supply and waste water disposal, the electricity required for treatment and distribution plays a major role. Due to the sharp increase in market prices, the supplier for media gas and electricity announced difficulties in providing the ordered energy quantities at the agreed prices. As a result, Energie AG took measures to mitigate the impact in the form of alternative procurement options and a settlement with the previous supplier.

After a volatile development, the Czech koruna improved in value against the euro with an average exchange rate of around EUR/CZK 25.9.

Business development in the Czech Republic Segment

In the 2020/2021 fiscal year, the Czech Republic Segment generated stable sales revenues of EUR 173.2 million in its water and heating business (previous year: EUR 160.5 million). In addition to positive developments in the operational business, the increase in turnover is due to exchange rate effects and the first-time inclusion of VaK Zápy s.r.o., which was acquired on 6 December 2019.

The Czech Republic Segment generated an EBIT of EUR 11.1 million in the reporting period (previous year: EUR 9.8 million). This is equivalent to an increase of 13.3%, which is mainly attributable to higher sales volumes and price increases in the water and waste water sector. The services sector focuses on construction services for the municipal water management infrastructure, sewer services, smart meters etc., and also showed a slightly positive development in the reporting period.

A higher EBIT contribution compared with the previous year was achieved in the heating sector in the Czech Republic due to the low outside temperatures which resulted in higher sales volumes in the reporting period.

Stable development in the Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic Segment, a total of 48.2 million m³ drinking water (previous year: 47.5 million m³) and 45.1 million m³ of waste water (previous year: 44.3 million m³) were invoiced in the reporting period.

Invoiced drinking water volume

in m³ mill.

Invoiced waste water volume

in m³ mill.

In total, this corresponds to slightly higher volumes in drinking water and waste water business, although developments varied from region to region on the basis of settlement structure and industrial production.

On the market side, tenders were won and contracts extended in the operating areas of Jindřichův Hradec, Tábor and Krumlov. Along with České Budějovice, Tábor and Krumlov are the most important concession contracts of ČEVAK a.s. with the largest share of sales revenues.

The heat sales volume in the Czech Republic amounted to 189 GWh in the reporting period, which is 10.5% above the previous year's figure (171 GWh). This development was mainly due to the low temperatures last winter. This was also reflected in the development of heating degree days, which increased compared to the previous year from an average of 3,168 heating degree days to 3,574 heating degree days in the reporting period.

In the reporting period, significant development steps were taken in the Czech Republic Segment in the area of operations and customer services digitalisation. Current digitalisation projects focus on smart metering in Beroun and smart metering and grid digitalisation in Kolín. Studies on the subject of “Further digitalisation of dispatching and operations” and on the development of a “digital twin” for a sewage treatment plant with the aim of further optimising the physical system by means of digital twinning are ongoing. The “Water under Control” application developed by ČEVAK a.s. in Ceské Budějovice was successfully tested in Austria during the reporting period and further steps were prepared.

Energie AG Oberösterreich Bohemia GmbH is participating in the utility management training of IAWD (“International Association of Water Service Companies in the Danube River Catchment Area”) in cooperation with its Czech subsidiaries. This training programme is aimed at junior managers in the water supply sector, as a need to support and improve the management culture in this sector has been identified.