Gov’t to launch new gas grid sale in June

Greece will launch a new tender competition for the privatization of its natural gas grid operator DESFA in June, Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis said on Tuesday.

Stathakis announced the tender in an interview with Greek news website liberal.gr without disclosing details.

The privatization of DESFA is part of a drive by Greece to sell state assets, which is a significant condition of the country’s bailout by the European Union and the IMF.

Greece and its biggest oil refiner Hellenic Petroleum had previously agreed to sell 66 percent of DESFA to Azerbaijan’s Socar for 400 million euros but that deal collapsed in November after Athens raised DESFA’s tariffs by less than Socar had expected and the Azeris demanded a lower price.

[Reuters]