Enel ready to resume LNG plan as Italy steps up gas hunt By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A brand of Italian multinational vitality firm Enel is seen on the Milan headquarters, Italy, February 5, 2020. REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo/File Photograph

By Stephen Jewkes and Angelo Amante

MILAN (Reuters) -Italy’s greatest utility Enel (MI:) is able to mud off plans to construct a liquefied (LNG) terminal in southern Italy as Rome steps up efforts to seek out various provides to exchange Russian fuel.

In feedback to Reuters on Tuesday Enel mentioned it was helpful for Italy to have two extra LNG terminals in order to be much less tied to fuel pipelines.

“For that reason, Enel has given availability to renew the Porto Empedocle LNG plant mission, that’s absolutely permitted,” an Enel spokesperson mentioned.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Italy has ramped up efforts to safe various sources of fuel, with LNG-rich Qatar a specific focus of consideration.

Italy goals to turn into unbiased of Russian fuel imports inside 24-30 months, Vitality Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani mentioned on Tuesday.

Italy, which makes use of fuel to generate some 40% of electrical energy, imports greater than 90% of its fuel wants with Russian flows accounting for round 40%. It has different pipeline connections to Algeria, Azerbaijan, Libya and the North Sea however solely three LNG terminals.

Two sources mentioned Rome was keen to put in a minimum of one floating LNG terminal, or FSRU.

One of many sources mentioned vitality group Eni and fuel infrastructure group Snam had been requested to assist out on the logistics together with in search of the FSRU to constitution.

Different European nations are searching for to construct LNG services to wean themselves off Russian fuel. On Saturday Germany unveiled plans for a terminal.

Eni and Snam declined to remark. The Business and Ecological Transition ministries weren’t instantly out there for a remark.