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Greece seeks higher bids in sale of gas network operator DESFA

The Greek privatization agency (Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund, HRADF or ΤΑΙΠΕΔ) is expecting a higher bid price for a 66% stake in the state-run gas grid operator DESFA after the binding bids opening last week. So far, HRADF holds a 31% stake in DESFA while Hellenic Petroleum holds 35%.



The sale fits into the country's €86bn international bailout plan. In 2016, HRADF and the oil refiner Hellenic Petroleum agreed to sell the DESFA stake to Azerbaijan's state-held company SOCAR for €400m but the deal collapsed in November 2016, after the government raised DESFA's gas tariffs by a lower amount than SOCAR had expected and SOCAR asked in turn for a lower acquisition price. However, the privatization process will move forward. HRADF has received bids from a consortium of Italy’s Snam, Spain’s Enagas Internacional and Belgium’s Fluxys and from a consortium including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Romania's Transgaz and Spain’s Regasificadora del Noroeste (Reganosa Asset Investments).



The shareholders’ agreement for DESFA is expected to be signed by the end of April 2018, in order to complete the sale by June 2018.