EWE issues green bond

Oldenburg, June 01, 2021. The Oldenburg-based energy and telecommunications company successfully placed a bond with a volume of 500 million euros today. The term is seven years and the interest coupon 0.25 percent.

With this bond issue, EWE is following its strategic direction to be climate-neutral by 2035. For the first time, the company is taking advantage of the rapidly developing market for green capital market products to issue a sustainable, climate-friendly green bond. The proceeds of this investment will be used to further shape EWE's path to climate neutrality by 2035.

EWE will use the funds in the areas of electricity distribution networks, fiber optic networks, renewable energy generation, hydrogen infrastructure, electricity storage and charging infrastructure. In this way, the Oldenburg-based company is contributing to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 7 ("Sustainable and modern energy") and Goal 13 ("Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts"). EWE will report annually on the specific use of funds and the associated environmental impact.

To be able to issue such bonds, defined requirements must be met. The ISS rating agency has confirmed EWE's compliance with the internationally recognized ICMA Green Bond Principles. EWE has published the Green Financing Framework on its website ewe.com.

Wolfgang Mücher, Chief Financial Officer of EWE AG, says: "The investors confirm our sustainable strategic corporate orientation with their great interest. This very low interest rate shows the confidence in our path. EWE will be climate-neutral by 2035 and is getting support for this from a high number of European investors."

EWE uses various other instruments for corporate financing, such as bonds, promissory note loans and bilateral loans. Participating banks in this current green bond issue were ING, BNP Paribas, DZ Bank, LBBW and Helaba.