DEPA

Bulgaria will buy a 20 percent stake in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal off northern Greece as it works to move away from its almost complete dependence on gas from Russia, the government said on Wednesday.
The United States and Qatar are expected to be the main suppliers of LNG for the facility.

Italy's biggest natural gas distribution company, Italgas, is on the verge of entering the Greek market.

Kathimerini understands that Europe's third largest gas distributor is very close to reaching an agreement with fellow Italian Eni Gas e Luce for the acquisition of the latter's portfolio in the Greek gas grid.

The gradual distancing of Public Power Corporation (PPC) from Public Gas Corporation (DEPA), of which the power giant used to be the main client, will likely be the killing blow for the gas utility's competitiveness, just as the state is getting ready to privatize it.

The road to the privatization of the Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) appears to be full of obstacles, with particular problems emerging for the process that will start with the submission to Parliament of a bill to that effect.

The Greek government is considering the full sale (100 pct) of the country's state-controlled gas company DEPA as part of its privatization's plan, according to Energy Ministry sources cited by state-run news agency ANA-MPA.

The transformation of Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) is back on the table ahead of crucial decisions for the privatization of the utility that is 65 percent owned by the state privatizations fund (TAIPED) and 35 percent owned by Hellenic Petroleum (HELPE).

Private Greek industrial group Mytilineos has overtaken incumbent DEPA to become the country's biggest LNG importer this year, the first time in history that an independent company has knocked the state-owned company from the top spot, ICIS an information platform on petrochemicals and specifically on energy issues, fertilisers and other commodities said in a report.

By Haris Karanikas

The government on Thursday forced the departure of the chief executive officer of the Public Gas Corporation (DEPA), Dimitris Tzortzis.

The privatization timetable for Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) is sliding off track: The plan to break up the gas utility into a trading company and an infrastructure entity, which is essential for the privatization process, has hit a snag due to what the government considers a major issue - i.e. making the contract workers employed by the company permanent.