Azernews.Az

Italy's biggest power producer Enel is holding discussions on acquiring a stake in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, Reuters reported with reference to the company CEO Fulvio Conti.

"We are still discussing with them [shareholders of TAP]. We are keen on doing this, but we have not finalised our discussion," Conti said.

Conti did not specify the size of any share.

TAP is designed to transport gas from the Caspian region via Greece and Albania and across the Adriatic Sea to southern Italy and further into Western Europe. The shareholders of TAP project are EGL of Switzerland (42.5 percent), Norway's Statoil (42.5 percent) and E.ON Ruhrgas of Germany (15 percent).

A TAP official told Trend news agency on Thursday that the project has always been open to new partners joining.

In July Reuters reported with reference to the industry source close to TAP that Enel was interested in a 10-20-percent stake in the project.

Gas to be produced within the second phase of Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas condensate field development is considered as the main source for TAP.

In February Shah Deniz consortium announced TAP a priority route for export of the Azerbaijani gas to Italy.

Currently, the Shah Deniz consortium considers two options to deliver its gas to Europe - TAP and Nabucco West. The final decision on a pipeline route will be made in 2013.