France's EDF in talks to buy So Energy to expand British customer base

E.ON SE

07/09/2026 11:47

PARIS, Sept 7 (Reuters) - French state-owned electric utility EDF is in talks to acquire electricity supplier So Energy, which is majority owned by Irish company ESB, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday, confirming a media report from Sunday.
The acquisition of the retail electricity supplier and solar panel installer would expand EDF's already large footprint in Britain, where it supplies around 5 million customers with electricity.
The purchase would add around another 300,000 customers for EDF, the Sky News report said.
This comes as EDF is trying to keep up with competitors Octopus Energy, British Gas and E.ON in a competitive British market.
The interest comes several months after German utility E.ON announced plans to buy rival Ovo Energy for an undisclosed sum. 
The source did not provide a valuation for So Energy, but said that the company is relatively small so it should not be expensive for the French utility.
So Energy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 (Reporting by Forrest Crellin;
Editing by Alison Williams)
 ((Forrest.Crellin@thomsonreuters.com;))