Strategic initiatives and acquisitions

During recent years we have identified a series of projects, which are consistent with our business areas and allow us to take advantage of the opportunities associated with market trends. The activities include:

• Growth on the natural gas distribution market. We entered this sector in October 2018 via the acquisition of 51% of Pescara Distribuzione Gas, the company that manages the entire gas distribution network in the municipality of Pescara, which was completed in March 2019. Furthermore, in 2020 we acquired 51% of the capital of “Alto Sangro Distribuzione Gas”, operational in twenty-four municipalities in the Province of Aquila, thereby enhancing our presence in the region of Abruzzo. In 2022, the Consortium made up by Acea, Ascopiave and Iren signed the closing of the agreement with A2A Group for the acquisition of some assets in the natural gas distribution service. Acea’s assets of interest include concessions in 5 "ATEM" (Minimum Territorial Areas), two of which are located in Abruzzo, two in Molise and one in Campania, for a total of approximatively 30,700 points of redelivery.
• Strengthening of our position as leading player in the environmental sector, specifically via the acquisition of Deco SpA and, through the latter, of 100% of Ecologica Sangro SpA. Deco is active in the waste sector in the region of Abruzzo and designs, builds and operates plants involved in treatment, disposal and recovery of solid urban waste and facilities for energy recovery from renewable sources. Ecologica Sangro operates again in Abruzzo in the sector of integrated solid urban waste management; the operations covered by the agreement are a disposal facility and a biogas plant. Again in the field of waste management and treatment, we acquired a 60% equity interest in the companies Ferrocart and Cavallari, owners of four plants in the provinces of Terni and Ancona, which perform activities pertaining to the selection and recovery of paper, iron, wood, plastic and metal. In the north Ancona area we acquired, through the subsidiary Cavallari S.r.l., Italmacero S.r.l., a company operating in the mechanical treatment and recovery of recyclable urban waste (mixed and mono-material packaging) and non-hazardous special waste. In the waste treatment and storage, we have also acquired the “Polo Cirsu” in Abruzzo, consisting of two landfills, a recycling and composting plant and a platform for the valorisation of waste from waste sorting and durable goods. We have acquired a 70% stake in Tecnoservizi Srl, a company that operates in the mechanical treatment and recovery of recyclable urban waste (mixed and mono-material packaging) and non-hazardous special waste.
• Consolidation in the sector of liquid waste treatment, via the acquisition of a 60% stake in Berg, a company involved in waste management in the Municipality of Frosinone.
• Involvement in the plastic treatment sector with the acquisition of 90% of Demap, a company that owns a plant in Beinasco, in the province of Turin, and performs activities concerned with the selection and recycling of packaging obtained from differentiated urban waste collection, particularly carried out in the regions of Valle d’Aosta and Piedmont. Further consolidation in the plastic recycling sector concerned the acquisition of 70% of Serplast and 60% of Meg, companies that own plants respectively in Abruzzo and Veneto.
• Growth in the planning and building of plants for the environment and water treatment, via the acquisition 70% of Simam, leader in the design, construction and management of water treatment and waste disposal plants and environment and rehabilitation interventions, with high-tech integrated solutions.
• Acquisition of photovoltaic plants in Italy, thanks to which Acea Group continues its expansion in the renewable resource sector. Moreover, in 2022 an agreement was signed for the sale to the British investment fund Equitix of a majority stake in the company AE Sun Capital S.r.l., owner of photovoltaic facilities currently in operation or in the process of being connected to the grid. Acea will maintain its role as industrial operator and will continue to deal with the technical and commercial management of the assets transferred to the new company as well as those that will be developed in the future.
• Development of Smart Energy Services projects which, through the acquisition of ESCO (energy service company), will allow us to provide innovative services for citizens, businesses and the Public Administration. In particular, we are working on the launch of a pilot project in cogeneration/trigeneration and the development of thermal insulation.
  
• In December 2022 Acea has completed the closing of the first stage of the combination with ASM Terni aimed to create a multiutility operating in the Umbria region active in electricity and gas distribution and supply, waste management and integrated water services.