The energy ministry has incorporated provisions into a RES licensing simplification draft bill in order to overcome obstacles that have delayed the completion of gas company DEPA Infrastructure’s sale to Italian company Italgas.

The ministry’s provisions, now paving the way towards this sale’s finalization, separate certification requirements set by RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, for the gas company’s distribution subsidiaries from the DEPA Infrastructure sale procedure.

RAE recently set terms that would essentially nullify certification for DEPA Infrastructure’s three gas distributors, EDA Attiki, EDA THESS and DEDA, if the buyer proceeds with an equity capital increase within three years of the sale’s completion.

Italgas officials have been in Greece since December, when the sale and purchase agreement was signed by the sellers, the Greek State and Hellenic Petroleum (ELPE), holding a stake, and the Italian buyer.

During this period, the Italgas officials have been collecting financial and other data concerning DEPA Infrastructure’s subsidiaries.