Edison, Snam to announce storage deal on Thursday, sources say

By Francesca Landini

MILAN (Reuters) - EDF's Italian unit Edison and gas grid operator Snam are expected to announce on Thursday a deal on gas storage assets with a base price of nearly 600 million euros ($651 million), two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

The preliminary deal will also include price adjustments that could bring the final price paid by Snam over 600 million euros depending on some future developments including the outcome of an arbitration on one of the assets, the sources said on Wednesday.

Snam and Edison declined to comment on the issue.

Edison last year decided to sound out market appetite for three gas storage sites it owns in Italy, drawing interest from several Italian and foreign investors.

Snam, which is controlled by the Italian government, already operates the bulk of the country's gas storage system including strategic reserves and hopes to get synergies out of the integration of Edison's sites.

Large gas storage facilities allow a country to build a buffer to face potential consumption peaks during the winter.

Last year Edison said it did not see much growth potential in the business, adding it wanted to focus on low-carbon businesses instead.

Snam is being advised by Rothschild, SocGen on the deal, while Lazard is supporting Edison on the transaction.

Italian daily Il Sole 24 Ore reported on Wednesday that Edison and Snam were close to signing a deal.

($1 = 0.9212 euros)

(Reporting by Francesca Landini, editing by Alessandro Parodi and David Evans)