Sabancı Energy may consider acquisitions

ISTANBUL - Reuters

Güler Sabancı, chairperson of Sabancı Holding, which co-owns Sabancı Energy Group with Germany’s E.ON, speaks at a conference in Istanbul. AA Photo

Sabancı Holding will set its eye on acquisitions in the energy market if it fails to win the privatization tenders for AYEDAŞ and Toroslar EDAŞ.

“There are options for expanding the retail market network other than distribution networks,” Sabancı Energy Group president Selahattin Hakman told daily newspaper Dünya. “If we fail to win any regions we may mobilize our forces in that way … [During the consolidation process of the sector] we may get new production and distribution acquisition opportunities.”

Sabancı Group owns a 50 percent share in Enerjisa, whose other 50 percent was sold to German E.ON by Australian Verbund last month.

“As Enerjisa, our priorities together might be new and transferred contracts, LNG exports and natural gas imports,” Hakman said.

He said they had missed taking part in previous competitions worth six billion cubic meters of natural gas, so natural gas imports were an important target for Sabancı Group, as well as LNG exports. Hakman also said state-run Botaş’s its market share should be reduced to below 50 percent in order for the private sector, whose market share is only around 25 percent.