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GRADUATION INTERVIEW ▼

Taking the Power Back: Exploring Local Politics and Electricity Grid Remunicipalization in Germany

AN INTERVIEW WITH THORSTEN REPPERT

Fanny Hellert

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SHORT PROFILE

Name: Thorsten Reppert
Field: Political Science
Dissertation: From Market to Municipality: Electricity Grid Remunicipalization and German Local Politics in the 2010s

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Our doctoral member Thorsten Reppert has successfully completed his dissertation. In his Graduation Interview, he gives insights into the topic and findings of his dissertation, talks about his time at the BAGSS, and shares the next step in his career.

// What drew you to your dissertation topic and what interests you most about it?

T.R.  I came to the topic somewhat by chance. I finished my Master’s thesis during the Covid-19 pandemic, when there was not much to do in terms of leisure activities. So, I started reading some non-fiction books I had been meaning to get to for a while. One of them was about the foundational economy, so basically the jobs and services that keep everyday life running.

The book discussed how, in the late 20th century, many of these essential sectors were privatized, but that in recent years there’s been a growing countermovement toward public ownership. That caught my attention, and I started reading more academic literature on the topic. That quickly led me to Germany’s electricity grids, often cited as a key example. From there, it kind of snowballed.

What fascinates me about this topic is that public debate on the economy usually focuses on big industries, tech companies, or consumer markets. We talk far less about the systems that make everyday life work: water, waste, heating, or energy. And we talk even less about how we should organize and govern them. I think the pandemic and, later, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shifted that perspective. As terrible as those events were, they reminded us how essential these foundational systems are. Because without a solid foundation, even the most grandiose house will not stand for long.

// Can you give us a small sneak peek about the findings of your thesis?

T.R.  Gladly! My dissertation looked at the process of remunicipalization. In other words: when cities or municipalities take back ownership of services like electricity grids that had previously been privatized. The German energy sector is often seen internationally as a prime example of this trend, but it has not been studied very systematically so far. There is a lack of both quantitative and qualitative research, especially beyond well-known cases like Berlin and Hamburg. That is where my work comes in.

To explore this, I built an entirely new dataset that maps ownership structures of all local electricity distribution grids in Germany. The data shows that private ownership still dominates, and that moves back to public control are relatively cautious.

I also examined whether left- or right-leaning political majorities in the local councils make a difference. They mostly do not. What really matters are institutional, financial, and economic factors. The case studies I conducted confirmed this and showed that cross-party cooperation is often crucial for success. Many decisions were based on careful preparation and expert advice to ensure feasibility and financial stability.

So what I found is that remunicipalization in the German energy sector is not the large-scale, grassroots, anti-neoliberal movement it is sometimes made out to be. Instead, local governments usually act for pragmatic, functional reasons like economic and financial efficiency, technical feasibility, or synergies with existing municipal services. Political ideology plays a much smaller role than one might expect.

What also stood out was how different local politics operates compared to national politics, largely because many people involved are volunteers. That requires more targeted support and guidance. Overall, my findings suggest that remunicipalization is less about ideology and more about pragmatic adaptation to broader political and economic contexts. And because those contexts change, new opportunities for remunicipalization may continue to emerge. To me, that makes this an exciting field for future research.

// If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice at the start of your PhD, what would it be? 

T.R.  Actually, there are three pieces of advice that really belong together.

First: Be patient. A PhD involves lots of waiting: for feedback, for approvals, for coordination with others. When you are passionate about your work, that can be hard. I am the kind of person who refreshes their inbox a bit too often, waiting for reviewer comments or conference responses. But taking a breath, stepping away from the desk, and making space for breaks really helps.

Second: Learn to handle criticism. Early on, I took every comment incredibly seriously and tried to incorporate everything perfectly, even when feedback contradicted itself. Over time, I realized that feedback does not mean you have to rebuild your argument from scratch. Often, it is just a signal that something needs to be clarified or sharpened. My supervisors helped me see how to prioritize and work with feedback more strategically.

And third: It takes a village to do a PhD. Having a good support network makes all the difference. I was lucky to be part of the Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences, which really encouraged exchange and collaboration. The informal chats, workshops, and peer support were invaluable. The same goes for the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, which supported my research. And beyond academia, having friends and family who remind you there is life outside your dissertation is just as important. The PhD is a big part of your life — but it should not become all of it.

// What is the next step in your career?

T.R.  Since September, I have already been working as a research associate at the National Research Institute for Public Administration Germany (NIPAG) in Speyer. I am already involved in several research projects there, which look at how administrative processes work in practice and how they can be improved through evidence-based insights. The institute’s goal is to conduct research on, with, and for public administration. I think that combination really characterizes the institute.

At the same time, I am not leaving energy policy research behind completely. I already have one or two smaller ideas brewing in the back of my mind. Let’s see where they lead!