Rome, 21 March 2007 Enel has signed a partnership agreement with Duferco, one of Europes leading steel groups and the top manufacturer of steel and semifinished steel products in Wallonia (Belgium).
The objective of the partnership between the two companies is to develop and implement selected projects in Belgium. Duferco, which has long been a major electricity user on the Belgian market, is developing a project to build a combined-cycle gas plant with a net capacity of about 420 MW and a power plant that reuses gases produced in the steel manufacturing process with a capacity of about 65 MW at the Marcinelle - Marchienne industrial site (Wallonia).
Enel is interested in the Belgian electricity market as part of its expansion strategy for Western Europe. The Belgian market is especially attractive thanks to its position and the outlook for growth in the medium term.
In addition to covering the Duferco Groups energy needs in Belgium, the power plants will provide new generation capacity for the entire market. To this end, the project also envisages the establishment of dedicated facilities for the sale of electricity, for which Duferco is looking for a partner with the necessary skills who is interested in expanding the Belgian electricity market.
The partnership between Duferco and Enel is strategic in scope. It is not merely limited to the sale of the power the two new plants generate but rather is open to additional new projects in the region. Enel and Duferco will also jointly assess new development opportunities.