Eesti Gaas has signed an agreement to acquire the Latvian gas distribution network owned by Gaso, a subsidiary of Latvijas Gaze, for 120 million euros. The completion of the transaction is subject to approval from the Latvian Competition Authority and permission from the Latvian government, as Gaso is considered a strategic asset.
“We see a future in gas and know how to do this business and grow it. We hope that we can share our experience as a gas network operator and that the change of ownership will help the company continue to grow and provide the best service to Latvian gas consumers,” said Ain Hanschmidt, Chairman of the Board of Eesti Gaas.
“With the support of Infortar, Eesti Gaas has developed from a local gas supplier to the largest privately owned energy company in the region, with about 70% of our sales volumes coming from foreign markets. The acquisition of the Latvian gas network is another important step in the expansion of Eesti Gaas as a Baltic Sea energy company. The Latvian gas network is almost four times larger than the one in Estonia, serving about 400,000 consumers. Like the rest of Europe, we see gas playing an important role as a transition fuel and a supporter of renewable energy. The prospect of gas use encourages us to invest in gas networks – we have signed the agreement and are waiting for the decision of the Latvian government,” added Hanschmidt.