(Finance) – Modernize, enhance and extend the electrical infrastructure of Areti (a 100% company of the ACEA SpA Group which manages the electricity distribution network of Rome and Formello) to provide an increasingly efficient service for the benefit of citizens. This is the goal of financing from 500 million euros granted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to ACEA directly, with the Archimede guarantee from SACE, and from Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) with funding made available by the EIB itself.
Today in Rome the agreements concerning the first tranche of financing equal to 320 million euros, of which 200 million granted directly by the EIB with a 70% Archimede SACE guarantee and 120 million euros by CDP with EIB funding. The second tranche of 180 million will be subscribed in 2025.
With this operation EIB, CDP and SACE they co-finance Areti’s investment plan in line with the objectives of REPowerEU, the European Union’s plan to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate the transition to green energy. The resources available will contribute to implementing an intervention plan for the digitalisation of the infrastructure. In particular, the interventions will be concentrated in following sectors: strengthening of Rome’s low and medium voltage network to increase its resilience and available power also through the laying of new lines; modernization of the medium and low voltage network to increase safety through advanced diagnostics, remote control and automation; expansion and strengthening of primary cabins; network smartization for dynamic management, control over PODs with 2G smart meters and massive demand response via artificial intelligence and IoT platform.
The operation confirms the EIB and CDP among the major institutional financiers of the investment plan ACEA and SACE as a strategic financial insurance partner also on future Group operations. Guarantee Archimede of SACE guarantees loans and guarantees at market conditions with a duration of up to 25 years as a lever for the competitiveness of the country system.
Fabrizio Palermo, CEO of ACEA commented: “The agreements signed today with the EIB, CDP and SACE represent for ACEA a system operation of particular strategic importance and they certify the value and quality of investments that the Group has planned for the next few years in the electricity distribution networks. The investments will contribute to achieving ever greater resilience and flexibility of infrastructures thanks to the use of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence.”
“This financing confirms the EIB’s commitment to the energy transition and the REPowerEU objectives, which we have committed to accompanying by making available 45 billion additional financing by 2027,” he said Gelsomina Vigliotti, EIB Vice President. “The modernization of electricity infrastructure is crucial not only to make the grid more efficient and resilient, but also to encourage greater integration of renewable energy into the system“.
“Thanks to the synergy with the European institutions promoted effectively in recent years – he declared Dario Scannapieco, CEO of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti – CDP today manages to promote financial operations of value for the territory and with a high impact. From this perspective, the financing in favor of ACEA further confirms CDP’s commitment to supporting the development and modernization of the country’s infrastructure. The consolidated collaboration with the EIB, accompanied on several occasions by the contribution of SACE, over the years has allowed us to support investments of around 13 billion intended for the economic growth of the territories”.
“We confirm our commitment to support investments for competitiveness on the national territory through the Archimede Guarantee as well as the strengthening of ACEA’s electricity infrastructure – declared Alessandra Ricci, CEO of SACE – This new operation consolidates the strong synergy with the institutional investors EIB and CDP in projects capable of producing a tangible impact on the Italian economic fabric”.