Mindener Stadtwerke

Mindener Stadtwerke GmbH is a municipal energy and water utility based in Minden, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It supplies electricity, natural gas and drinking water to customers in Minden and the surrounding region, including the communities of Hille, Petershagen, Porta Westfalica and the Lower Saxon town of Bückeburg. The company operates a customer centre in the heart of Minden and offers a range of online services for contract management, meter readings and fault reporting. The present-day Mindener Stadtwerke was re-established in 2013 as part of a re-municipalisation process, reviving a utility that had first existed in Minden from 1902. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mindener Holding GmbH, which is in turn held 51% by the Mindener Entwicklungs- und Wirtschaftsfördergesellschaft mbH and 49% by Stadtwerke Hameln Weserbergland GmbH. The supervisory board has eleven members, chaired by former Minden mayor Michael Buhre. Christoph Meyer has served as managing director since 1 January 2022. The company positions itself as a reliable, locally rooted provider of energy and water, emphasising fair prices, transparent tariffs, personal customer service and regional commitment. It supports local associations, community projects and local sports, and its profits flow back into the municipal value chain, for example supporting the Melittabad. Mindener Stadtwerke also pursues sustainability goals, operating electric vehicle charging points and photovoltaic installations, using electric vehicles in its own fleet, and running school projects on energy, water and environmental topics. In addition to electricity and gas supply, the sister company Mindener Wasser GmbH manages the municipal water network, supplying around 16,000 households annually with approximately 4.5 million cubic metres of fresh water from three waterworks and 16 wells. Since January 2017, Mindener Stadtwerke has also operated the 730-kilometre Minden gas network, serving around 20,000 meters.

The history of municipal utility services in Minden stretches back to the 19th century. In 1870, demand from citizens for a water supply grew, with 255 private wells and 41 shared wells in existence. In 1877, a report by Geheimer Baurat Henoch proposed collecting spring water from the Wiehengebirge and channelling it by gravity. In 1884, following a threatening cholera epidemic, all wells were examined and two had to be closed. On 1 April 1888, the water supply system with waterworks and elevated tank was put into operation. A municipal electricity and water utility, the Stadtwerke Minden, was originally founded in 1902. It operated for much of the 20th century, but the utility landscape changed over time. The region's electricity supply was historically linked to the Elektrizitätswerk Minden-Ravensberg (EMR), whose supply area still shapes the present-day service territory. In the early 21st century, a re-municipalisation movement emerged. On 19 August 2010, a new company was entered in the commercial register under the same name, with the aim of reviving municipal control of energy and water networks. An interest group led by Stadtwerke Hameln sought to re-establish Stadtwerke Minden. The re-municipalisation was supported by the upcoming expiry of concession rights for the public electricity (2017), gas and water (2021) networks. In 2011, Westfalica GmbH of Bad Oeynhausen, part of the Gelsenwasser group, also expressed interest in the new Stadtwerke Minden. At the end of October 2012, the Minden city council decided to re-establish Stadtwerke Minden together with Stadtwerke Hameln, effective 1 January 2013. Westfalica GmbH lost the selection process. The new Mindener Stadtwerke GmbH began electricity and gas sales in the region in 2013. Two years later, the municipal water supply network was taken over by its sister company Mindener Wasser GmbH. Each year, around 16,000 households are supplied with approximately 4.5 million cubic metres of fresh water from three waterworks and 16 wells. Since January 2017, the Stadtwerke has also been responsible for operating the 730-kilometre Minden gas network, serving around 20,000 meters. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mindener Holding GmbH, which is held 51% by Mindener Entwicklungs- und Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft mbH and 49% by Stadtwerke Hameln Weserbergland GmbH. The supervisory board consists of eleven members, chaired by former Minden mayor Michael Buhre. Christoph Meyer has been managing director since 1 January 2022. The company operates a modern customer centre on Stiftstraße and is committed to regional associations, community life and local sports. Profits flow back into the municipal value chain, for example supporting the Melittabad. In recent years, the company has installed electric vehicle charging points and photovoltaic systems, uses electric vehicles in its fleet, participates in climate action such as 'Stadtradeln', and offers e-bike leasing to employees. It also runs school projects on energy, water and environmental topics, including a project day on drinking water supply and replacing plastic water bottles in primary schools with environmentally friendly glass carafes.

• 2022

  Christoph Meyer becomes managing director on 1 January.

• 2017

  Since January, responsible for operating the 730 km Minden gas network, serving around 20,000 meters.

• 2015

  Municipal water supply network taken over by sister company Mindener Wasser GmbH.

• 2013

  Mindener Stadtwerke GmbH re-founded; begins electricity and gas sales in the region.

• 2012

  At the end of October, the Minden city council decides to re-establish Stadtwerke Minden with Stadtwerke Hameln, effective 1 January 2013.

• 2011

  Westfalica GmbH of Bad Oeynhausen, part of Gelsenwasser, expresses interest in the new Stadtwerke Minden.

• 2010

  On 19 August, a new company is entered in the commercial register under the same name, starting the re-municipalisation process.

• 1902

  Stadtwerke Minden originally founded.

• 1888

  On 1 April, the water supply system with waterworks and elevated tank begins operation.

• 1884

  Following a cholera epidemic threat, all wells are examined; two must be closed.

• 1877

  Report by Geheimer Baurat Henoch proposes collecting spring water from the Wiehengebirge and channelling it by gravity.

• 1870

  Growing citizen demand for water supply; 255 private wells and 41 shared wells exist.

Reliable, locally rooted municipal energy and water provider with fair prices, transparent tariffs and personal customer service.

• Electricity supply

  Electricity tariffs for households and businesses in Minden and surrounding communities.

• Natural gas supply

  Natural gas supply for the core city of Minden and operation of the 730 km gas network.

• Drinking water supply

  Drinking water supply via sister company Mindener Wasser GmbH, serving around 16,000 households annually.

• Online customer portal

  Online services for contract matters, meter readings, SEPA mandates and fault reporting.

• Customer centre

  Personal customer service centre in the heart of Minden on Stiftstraße.

1. 1Mindener Stadtwerke | Energie. Für uns. Für morgen.mindener-stadtwerke.de
2. 2Wer wir sind | Mindener Stadtwerkemindener-stadtwerke.de
3. 3Warum Kunde werden? | Mindener Stadtwerkemindener-stadtwerke.de
4. 4Leitbild & Strukturen | Mindener Stadtwerkemindener-stadtwerke.de
5. 5Stadtwerke Mindenwikidata.org
6. 6Mindener Stadtwerkede.wikipedia.org