Energy, water, public transport: Leipzig’s municipal group posts a €30 million surplus again in 2025

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Most people in Leipzig have long since gone on holiday. At the Leipzig Group, however, the figures were still being crunched for quite some time. On Monday 20 July, the municipal group presented its final accounts for the 2025 financial year. The management is particularly proud that it was able to increase total investment across the energy, mobility and water sectors to 374 million euros.

The figure for the previous year had been 331 million euros. With a profit of 32.7 million euros (previous year: 39.2 million euros), the group holding company Leipziger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (LVV) closed the 2025 financial year on a positive note overall.

“In the tenth year of the Leipzig brand, the Group has established itself as a bastion of stability and a guarantor of reliable public services, as well as the sustainable development of our liveable city. With the start of the heating transition, we have embarked on the next major phase to further enhance Leipzig’s quality of life and make significant contributions towards our climate protection targets,” commented Burkhard Jung, Lord Mayor of the City of Leipzig and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Leipziger Group, on the results.

This also represents significant support for public transport in Leipzig, as LVV provided €94.1 million (previous year: €90.6 million) from its own funds to support the transport services, thereby once again fulfilling the transport service financing agreement with the City of Leipzig.

“Unfortunately, the operating environment remains challenging and highly volatile – both economically and politically. Nevertheless, the Leipziger Group ensures that local people can rely on energy, transport and water,” explained Karsten Rogall, Spokesman for the Management Board of the Leipziger Group, on Monday.

The growing number of employees also speaks to the attractiveness of the companies and their increasing volume of work: “Our workforce, now numbering around 5,500 – compared with around 5,300 last year – demonstrates its full commitment to Leipzig’s present and future every day. We have had a busy year and are proud of the results. It shows that we are on the right track and are continuously making Leipzig a little more liveable and lovable every year.”

Passenger growth at LVB

In the transport sector, LVB set new records once again: passenger numbers rose from 166.9 million in the previous year to 171.2 million in the 2025 financial year. This means the transport operator has achieved its highest passenger figures since the early 1990s for the second year running.

“Successful service improvements contributed to this – as we move towards the transport network of the future,” emphasised Rogall. “In addition to the numerous service improvements and loyalty schemes, rising sales figures for the Deutschlandticket and major events such as the Gymnastics Festival had a positive impact on this development.”

The number of season ticket holders rose by 3 per cent compared with the previous year to just over 220,000 (previous year: 213,000). Among other things, LVB has invested in new electric buses and charging technology, as well as in the maintenance and modernisation of infrastructure (for example, on Dieskaustraße), and is expecting new electric buses and trams.

Waterworks and Municipal Utilities

“With their extensive measures relating to networks and facilities, the waterworks are once again ensuring a long-term, reliable and environmentally friendly drinking water supply and wastewater treatment,” says Rogall. “The expansion of the Rosental sewage treatment works – the largest single investment in the history of Leipzig’s waterworks – has begun. The newly built Rabet Leisure Pool, which opened last year and is operated by our leisure pool division, is proving extremely popular,” emphasises Rogall. “That, too, is part of urban quality of life.”

More than ever, the municipal utilities are driving the energy and heating transition. “We have expanded our solar panel installations in both rural and urban areas. New electric vehicle charging points have been installed. Our Leipzig West solar thermal plant – currently the largest solar thermal plant in Germany – has been supplying green district heating since this summer.”

Furthermore, Leipzig’s municipal utilities aim to provide warm homes using CO₂-free waste heat from the Leuna refinery: construction, which began in 2025 for this purpose, is on schedule. From 2028, the 19-kilometre-long pipeline could cover around 38 per cent of Leipzig’s district heating demand with green district heating. Furthermore, through the Südvorstadt-Westseite district heating pilot scheme, the municipal utility is gradually connecting more streets to the district heating network.

In the past financial year, the Group’s operating profit, measured in terms of EBITDA, stood at 313.1 million euros (2024: 322.4 million euros). EBITDA represents the profit generated from a company’s ordinary business activities, excluding interest, tax and depreciation.

The decline in consolidated turnover, from 2,652 to 2,351 million euros over the course of the year, is primarily attributable to falling prices on the energy trading exchanges.

“In 2025, this development was part of the general normalisation in the energy market following the turbulent years that preceded it,” said Volkmar Müller, Commercial Director of the Leipzig Group. “Ultimately, however, what matters is the bottom line – and that is a good result.”

Through its investments, the Group has further strengthened Leipzig’s infrastructure. “Over the past five years, we have invested around 1.8 billion euros in Leipzig’s lifelines. That was a major achievement.”