Technical investments

Technical investments in 2016 amounted to €776 million, an increase of €83 million, or 12.0%, compared with 2015 (€693 million).

Investments were classified in accordance with Resolution 514/2013/R/gas of the Electricity, Gas and Water Authority, which identified various categories of projects with different rates of return.

The main investments for the development of new transportation capacity on the National Network to bolster import and export capacity, for which a higher return of 2.0% (€226 million) is projected, concern the following:

• as part of the initiative to support the market in the north-west of the country and to make it possible to reverse the physical transportation flows at the interconnection points with northern Europe (€181 million) in the Po Valley area: (i) completion of construction works on the connection points and additional work on the Zimella-Cervignano pipeline; (ii) completion of the main construction works to upgrade the Poggio Renatico plant; (iii) the continuation of activities relating to the supply of turbo compressors relating to the new Sergnano and Minerbio plants; and (iv) completion of the main construction works on the new Minerbio hub;
• as part of the projects to upgrade the transportation network from the entry points in southern Italy (€40 million): (i) completion of the main construction works on the Biccari-Campochiaro pipeline in Campania, Puglia and Molise; and (ii) continuation of construction works on the Massafra-Biccari pipeline connection points.

The main investments for the development of new National Network (€1 million) and Regional Network (€118 million) transportation capacity, with an anticipated greater return of 1.0%, relate to a number of works to upgrade the network and to connect to new regional and national redelivery points, particularly: (i) the completion of construction works relating to the upgrade of the Gavi-Pietralavezzara pipeline in Piedmont and Liguria (€34 million); (ii) the continuation of the main construction works relating to the “Derivazione per Montebello Jonico e Melito di Porto Salvo” pipeline (€21 million); (iii) completion of the main construction works on the Lainate-Olgiate Olona pipeline and the continuation of such works on the Mornico al Serio-Travagliato pipeline, Mornico-Chiari section relating to the network upgrade in Lombardy (€12 million); and (iv) continuation of construction works on the pipelines and connections relating to the methane conversion initiative in the Calabria Region (€11 million).

Investments in replacement and other investments with a basic rate of return (€431 million) concern works aimed at maintaining security and quality levels at plants (€336 million), projects relating to the development of new information systems and the implementation of existing ones (€40 million) and metering (€19 million), works relating to compensation for third parties (€19 million) and the acquisition of other key operating assets (€17 million), including investments for the acquisition of vehicles (€9 million) and real estate investments (€5 million).

Investment proportions by type of return (%)

Progress of work to obtain permit