E.ON Says It Would Welcome Italian Partner on TAP

CEO for E.ON Ruhrgas Klaus Schaefer has said that his company would welcome an Italian participant in the Trans Adriatic pipeline (TAP) consortium.

"We would clearly welcome an Italian partner or one coming from one of the countries the pipeline passes through," Mr. Schaefer said at the Reuters Energy and Environment Summit in London.

German E.ON Ruhrgas, is one of three shareholders in TAP with a 15 per cent stake. Switzerland's EGL and Norway's Statoil hold the remaining two stakes, at 42.5 per cent each.

TAP has previously stated its interest in attaining a partner from Italy or Greece, with Country Manager for Greece Rikard Scoufias saying the consortium was open to discussion from potential shareholders from those countries.

"We’re open to discussing new partnerships at a shareholder level and looking at our host countries, we’d welcome a Greek and/or Italian partner," he said.

Last month, CEO of Italian power company Enel, Fulvio Contel said that Enel would consider any project which would bring gas to to Italy, including the Trans Adriatic pipeline. 

Italy is an important country for the Trans Adriatic pipeline, which is designed to open up the Southern Gas Corridor. The pipeline will carry gas via Albania and Greece through the Adriatic Sea, passing through Southern Italy before being supplied to the rest of Europe.