EVN scores a gas deal in Croatia

EVN officials said that gas pipeline network in the region of Sibenik-Knin will be in operation by autumn 2011. Around 22,000 households will be offered to get connected, they added.

EVN officials signed a contract for building the network over the weekend. The Lower Austrian company – which is headquartered in Maria Enzersdorf – was assigned to the 27.5-million-Euro project after putting in the highest bid in a tender.

EVN ensured gas supply in the neighbouring regions of Zadar and Split in 2009. The firm had invested 77 million Euros at that time.

The new assignment means the firm – which has 290,000 customers in the province of Lower Austria – could deliver up to 130,000 customers in Croatia.

EVN’s earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) rose by 5.7 per cent to 194.4 million Euros in the first half of the 2009/2010 business year compared to the first half of the previous business year. Turnover however rose by just 0.6 per cent to 1.625 billion Euros.

Company bosses said they were optimistic about achieving better results this business year compared to the 2008/2009 business year "despite difficult circumstances and volatile prices."