Interested buyers of DEPA Infrastructure, a new entity emerging from a split at gas utility DEPA, have until February 14 to express non-binding first-round interest in its sale, offering the entire stake, the privatization fund TAIPED has announced.

TAIPED is selling the Greek State’s 65 percent stake and Hellenic Petroleum has contributed its full 35 percent stake.

Strategic investors as well as investment funds seeking strong yields have already displayed strong interest in the sale, TAIPED sources have informed media.

Procedures concerning the privatization of DEPA’s other new entity, DEPA Trade, are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2020. It remains unclear whether ELPE will contribute its 35 percent DEPA stake to this sale. ELPE has noted it will seek to take full control of this new company by acquiring the other 65 percent.

Greek groups, all involved in the energy sector, and foreign groups, some of which have already entered the country’s energy market, are interested in DEPA Trade, TAIPED sources added.