BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The state of Berlin has now formally declared its interest in Vattenfall's district heating business as well as the Swedish group's shares in Berlin energy supplier Gasag. Berlin has officially expressed its interest in the bidding process together with the companies Eon and Engie, announced Economics Senator Stephan Schwarz (party-less) and Finance Senator Daniel Wesener (Greens) on Tuesday after the Senate meeting.

Vattenfall wants to say goodbye to fossil fuels and is putting its district heating business in Berlin to the test. In early December, the group announced the start of the bidding process, at the end of which it will be decided whether to sell or keep the heating business with 1.3 million household customers. Decisions on this are expected in the course of the year.

Berlin had already declared in October that it wanted to seize the opportunity for at least partial remunicipalization of the district heating network. The Senate is seeking a majority stake in Fernwärme and Gasag. The state's goal is to have more influence on the gas and district heating supply in the city and thus on shaping the transformation away from fossil fuels./kr/DP/stw