Essent

Essent was formed in 1999 by the merger of PNEM/MEGA Groep and EDON Groep, energy groups based in the south and north of the Netherlands, respectively. PNEM/MEGA was created in 1997 by a merger between PNEM and Mega Limburg. EDON was a result of a merger between NV Energiebedrijf IJsselmij and EGD (Energiebedrijf Groningen Drenthe). In 2005, Nutsbedrijven Maastricht merged with Essent. The name Essent was developed by Globrands Naming & Strategy.

In 2000, Essent acquired a 51% stake in German utility Stadtwerke Bremen AG which at the same year made an offer for a 49.9% stake in another German utility Stadtwerke Bielefeld. In 2007, Essent divested its cable division Kabelcom to the investment companies Cinven and Warburg Pincus. At the same year, Essent acquired Westland Energie Services. Also in 2007, Essent planned a merger with another Dutch energy company Nuon Energy, but the proposed merger was cancelled.

In 2009, the transmission network was unbundled from Essent. In January 2009, German energy major, RWE AG, announced its intention to buy out all outstanding and issued shares of Essent. The deal, valued to be around 9.3 billion euros, would make Essent an operating company of RWE in the Netherlands and Belgium. On 30 September 2009, the deal was closed. Until 1 October 2009, the shares of Essent were owned by six Dutch provinces of Overijssel (18%), Groningen (6%), North Brabant (30.8%), Drenthe (2.3%), Flevoland (0.02%) and Limburg (16%) and by more than 100 municipalities in these provinces and in the province of Friesland (the remaining 26%).

Since the split of RWE and Innogy as of 1 April 2016, the power generation business was transferred to RWE Generation NL B.V., while Essent as retail and renewable energy company remained in the Innogy group. Innogy has been purchased on 18 September 2019 by E.ON. As a consequence Essent is a consolidated part of E.ON.