Germany takes over Uniper for $8 billion amid Europe's energy crisis

Germany also took control of a Russian-owned oil refinery, which supplies 90% of capital's fuel, putting a Rosneft unit under the trusteeship of industry regulator and taking over Schwedt plant

Germany has agreed to nationalise Uniper, raising the bill to rescue the gas importer to 29 billion euros ($28.7 billion) amid an escalating energy crisis that shows just how much Europe's top economy has relied on Russian fuel. The deal brings the total cash pumped into Germany's three biggest importers of Russian gas, also including EnBW's VNG division and former Gazprom unit Sefe, to at least $39.64 billion. 

Nationalising Germany's largest importer of Russian gas is the second move in a week by the government to take control of an energy business and is part of a wider European response to the winter crisis, including France taking over EDF.

Germany last week also took control of a Russian-owned oil refinery, which supplies 90 per cent of the capital's fuel, putting a Rosneft unit under the trusteeship of the industry regulator and taking over the Schwedt plant.

Uniper, whose shares fell as much as 39 per cent to 2.55 euros, burned through its cash buying alternative supplies after Moscow cut gas flows to Germany, triggering an initial $14.86 billion state rescue package in July.

But as with other European energy companies that have failed to cope with soaring gas prices, it soon became clear that the bailout was not enough to cover Uniper's deepening losses and Germany will now inject yet more cash, partly by buying out Finnish utility Fortum's 56 per cent holding for 500 million euros, or 1.70 euros per share.

After completing a capital increase and the Fortum share buy, which excludes the Finnish firm's subscription rights, Germany will hold 99 per cent of Uniper, the country’s economy ministry said.

“The state will - that's what we're showing now - do everything possible to always keep the companies stable on the market,” German economy minister Robert Habeck told reporters. 

Berlin has said it would review an application earlier this month by VNG which asked the government for aid to stay afloat.