Group DF plans to participate in privatization of regional gas supply companies in Ukraine
LONDON. April 20 (Interfax) - Natural gas distribution is a strategic business for Group DF, so the company plans to participate in the privatization of regional gas supply companies announced by the State Property Fund (SPF) of Ukraine, Group DF's Managing Director Robert Shetler-Jones told journalists on the sidelines of the Ukrainian Investment Summit in London.
Group DF is interested in this business being consolidated in the future, as has already been done in Europe, Shetler-Jones told Interfax.
"Otherwise, it will be difficult to manage these 40 some regional gas supply companies as separate businesses," he said.
Commenting on SPF chief Alexander Ryabchenko's idea to require the investor to install meters for all consumers, Shetler-Jones said that such a condition for the tender will not scare off strategic investors. "Meters need to be installed, because the losses are too high," he said.
Group DF is also interested in Zaporozhye Titanium & Magnesium Combine (ZTMC), for which the Ukrainian government recently approved bringing in an investor on the condition that the state keeps its 51% stake. Group DF is still proposing to consolidate the titanium industry, in which it currently controls Crimean Titanium and manages two mining and processing plants through it. At the same time, Shetler-Jones said that he could not comment on the details, "since the process is under way."
Ukraine's SPF is planning to sell stakes in 48 regional gas supply companies by the fall - minor stakes on exchanges, and major stakes at tenders.
Group DF is a private international holding company belonging to Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash, the main interests and assets of which are focused in such industries as chemicals, energy and energy infrastructure, finance and real estate. The group controls four of Ukraine's six nitrogen enterprises.
