merger ahead for SSE and Scottish Power?

oldwiring

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2006/09/11/cnmerge11.xml

The story is in todays DT Business section. What do you think? Would SP's customers get SSE service standards or vice versa for instance?

Ken68

Was also on Working Lunch, the whole thing on the backburner for now. The usual gain for the companies when merging is job reductions, so expect a few upset customer relation people.
I think that is what happened at Powergen when the new German owners took over.

oldwiring

Ken68 wrote:

Was also on Working Lunch, the whole thing on the backburner for now. The usual gain for the companies when merging is job reductions, so expect a few upset customer relation people.
I think that is what happened at Powergen when the new German owners took over.

My post has been slightly edited- would replaces will!

Ken68

You was in the business, Old., has there ever been a big merger where the shareholders gained.??
Bankers yes, lawyers yes, CEO's yes, but not yer ordinary shareholder or the staff.

oldwiring

Ken68 wrote:

You was in the business, Old., has there ever been a big merger where the shareholders gained.??
Bankers yes, lawyers yes, CEO's yes, but not yer ordinary shareholder or the staff.

Wot business? If yoy mean banking, it was the normal routin and woeking for a bank nominee co, never with the type that relates to takeovers and issues, bar for processing the apps. I would suggest that shareolders do better than consumers more often in a take over situation. From the posts elsewhere I wuld sincerly hope that SSE methods and service prevail ove rthose of SP! I cannot be sure but the decreasing number of big hitters within the energy industry seems to be approaching what is that of other industries, about 4 big players and pssibly local niche ones to fill the gaps,of which some get swallowed when opportunity arises-- Stagecoach, First, GoAhead, Arriva, and lastly Transdev.

One odd thing struck me was the mention of Monopolies commission if a merger took place. It's easy for Morrisons to divest itself of stores. Ou locla one is now Sainsburys, but how to do the same with energy??????

Ken68

Suppose they will have to sell a power station or two. My local one is powered by chicken s.hit, soon to be augmented by the windpower of eight turbines.Lets hope they never meet. :-)
Mind you, aint Scottish Power meant to have the most green output via their Hydro systems, or is that another company.?

oldwiring

SSE are building a hydro ps. Some wekks ago Adam Hart Davis was doing a radio prpg on R4, but at an hour you wage slaves would be feeling the cracl of the whip;)

justtoclarify_2

Merger is the nice name, one of them wants to take over. The name that survives will be an indication of the which style of management prevails and which CEO gets the biggest bonus.

oldwiring

justtoclarify wrote:

Merger is the nice name, one of them wants to take over. The name that survives will be an indication of the which style of management prevails and which CEO gets the biggest bonus.

Well SSE are the bigger player so one would hope they would have the upper hand. However I cannot imagine that SSE would be able to get shot of all SP staff and the habits and inefficiencies within the SP system in the short term. Also Greshams Law might apply!

Cagey

As a customer , shareholder & ex employee of S&S I hope it never happens as S&S are a well run efficient company & Scottish Power are & have always been a shambles since privitisation.