Spanish regulator (CNMC) is preparing new regulations which will lead to a greater than expected cuts in the returns for natural gas transportation and distribution networks and also, possibly, for electricity distribution networks.
Alphavalue | The Spanish government prepares measures to block corporate operations among listed companies in which the State has a stake.
The ratings agency Fitch Ratings has upgraded its short term rating for Enagás (ENG) and Enagás Financiaciones S.A.U from “F2” to “F1”’, applying its new short methodology for short term ratings.
Link Securities | The President of Enagás, Antonio Llardén, qualified last week´s agreement with Blackstone to enter the US market as a historical milestone for the Spanish company in putting Enagás on the global chess board of gas infrastructure.
The Spanish gas system operator, Enagas, is exploring its options of buying shares in the US listed company Tallgrass Energy. According to various sources in the sector, the public company, whose main shareholder is the state through SEPI, has been working discreetly on this operation since last November. In any case, the process is at a preliminary stage, and there are others interested in the US company.
Enagas and Reganosa, who were unable to integrate in Spain, have signed an agreement to present themelves jointly ain the tendering process for the operation and maintenance services for one of the largest Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) in the Al-Zour refinery in Kuwait.
Santander | The arrival of the new government in Spain is good news for the gas and electricity markets, given that it is probable that it will respect the regulatory periods; it appears more focused on the spirit of the law (“fair returns”) than on the application of methodologies (differential over 10 year bonds) and it has the intention of reinforcing the role of the CNMC as an independent regulator.
The consortium in which Enagas has a 20% stake, along with the Italian firm Snam (60%) and the Belgian company Fluxys (20%) has won the bid to acquire Greek gas operator DESFA, in its privatisation process, for €535 million (Enagás’ contribution will be around 107 million).
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a 1.5 billion euros loan – the biggest in its history – for the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), an around 878 kilometres project which will link Turkey with Italy, and in which Spanish firm Enagás is involved.
The Constitutional Court has declared null and void the agreement reached by the Spanish government in 2014 to resolve the problem of the Castor gas storage warehouse, the biggest in Spain, and the subsequent controversial €1.350 billion compensation given to the concessionary firm Escal (in which ACS has 66%). The ruling also says the compensation system set up allowing Enagás to charge consumers for the cost of Castor via their gas bill is illegal.