DEPA, the public gas corporation, and Italy’s Eni have finalized an agreement for the latter’s full acquisition of the EPA Thessaloniki-Thessaly gas supply company, commercially dubbed Zenith, energypress sources have informed.

Until now, DEPA was the majority shareholder of this venture with a 51 percent stake and Eni held the other 49 percent.

The same sources noted that the DEPA board intends to endorse the agreement at a meeting tomorrow ahead of its signing next week – either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Next week’s anticipated signing ceremony will coincide with a visit to Athens by troika officials for negotiations with the Greek government on pending bailout issues, including energy sector matters.

No changes will be made to the EDA Thessaloniki-Thessaly gas distribution company. DEPA and Eni will retain their respective 51 and 49 percent stakes in this venture.

DEPA is also negotiating with Shell to acquire the latter’s 49 percent share in their EPA Attiki gas supply company covering the wider Athens area. DEPA currently holds a 51 percent stake in this enterprise.

According to sources, certain details remain unresolved but an EPA Attiki agreement is expected to be inked by the two sides just days after the EPA Thessaloniki-Thessaly deal has been signed.

The shareholders of all companies involved will need to approve these agreements. The competition committee must also endorse them.

The completion of the EPA Thessaloniki-Thessaly and EPA Attiki agreements, satisfying natural gas market supply and distribution demands set by the country’s lenders, will enable the bailout-required DEPA privatization to proceed.

Energy minister Giorgos Stathakis has already announced that he will present, next week, to the lender representatives, a DEPA holding company plan to serve as an umbrella for three new subsidiaries respectively covering commercial, distribution and international projects divisions. The plan entails listing the holding company on the bourse while the possible involvement of a strategic investor in the subsidiary covering commercial matters will be examined.

It remains to be been how the troika will react to the energy minister’s proposal.