The Danish Road Directorate sues Energinet in dispute over a three-digit million amount

The Danish Roads Directorate has sued Energinet in a dispute over payment for a relocated gas pipeline on West Funen, which was rerouted in 2023 to make way for a new railway. The project has so far cost DKK 570 million, and the parties disagree on how the bill should be divided. The case is currently being heard in court in Kolding, where it will be assessed. The Danish Roads Directorate had wanted to take it directly to the Western High Court. This is reported by Energy Supply.

The dispute concerns DKK 332 million. DKK, which the Danish Road Directorate believes Energinet should pay, corresponding to 58 percent. Since Energinet has already paid DKK 143 million, the Danish Road Directorate has sued the company for the difference of DKK 189 million. Energinet rejects the claim and instead demands the DKK 143 million be refunded.

The disagreement is, among other things, about the guest principle, where the line owner generally pays for moving installations. At the same time, it appears from the law behind the railway project that the Danish Road Directorate is expected to pay around 75 percent of the costs, while the final distribution must be decided according to the general rules. I

According to experts that the media has spoken to, it is unusual for two government authorities to end up in court over such a fundamental disagreement. Bent Ole Gram Mortensen, who is a student at SDU and specializes in business regulation law, points out that the case shows a more fundamental problem in the way the state handles internal conflicts, which could have been avoided by being more clear in the agreements from the beginning.

amp