There's a new call for tenders to sell the former Ilva plant, with new offers due by September 15th.

The new tender for the former Ilva is now open. The financial engineering of public finances to implement the most ambitious decarbonization plan for the European steel industry has yet to be completed. But, in the meantime, the new tender, to attempt to select a private group to acquire what remains of the former Ilva, either in whole or in parts, is now open. Yesterday, the Minister of Enterprise, Adolfo Urso, authorized the publication of the new "Procedural Letter II" for the sale of the corporate assets of the two joint-stock companies Ilva and Acciaierie d'Italia, both in extraordinary administration. The new development, the Ministry of Enterprise explained in a statement, is that, compared to the previous tender, the purchase of the entire business complex, the Northern business complex (Genoa, Novi Ligure, and Racconigi), the Southern business complex (Taranto), or individual business units is now permitted from the first application. However, the ministry specifies, "all other things being equal, priority will be given to solutions that best guarantee production continuity and job security."

The updated tender, explains the Ministry of Mitigation and Renewable Energy, incorporates the latest developments in the environmental and industrial sectors, starting with the new Integrated Environmental Authorization (IEA) issued for the Taranto site on July 25, valid for 12 years and with an authorized production capacity of up to 6 million tons per year. Furthermore, "in line with the national strategy for ecological transition, the Government guarantees its support, including through the public company DRI d'Italia, for the construction of pre-reduction plants intended to power future electric furnaces." However, nothing is yet known about the public budget items that will finance this.

Compared to the previous version of the tender published at the end of July 2024, the new text establishes that decarbonization of the Taranto site is no longer an option but a binding obligation: interested parties must commit to shutting down the coal-fired hot areas as quickly as possible and building up to three electric furnaces. "This obligation," explains MIMIT, "is the result of the agreement reached on July 31 at MIMIT by Minister Urso with national institutions, the Puglia Region, and local authorities, who expressed a unanimous and decisive agreement in favor of full decarbonization, according to the most rapid and technologically challenging project." The triumphalist tone of the MIMIT note fails to take into account the profound distress experienced by the Taranto community, whose municipal administration has rejected the regasification vessel in the city's port, without which it appears difficult to quickly and efficiently reach the six million tons of annual production with electric furnaces and pre-reduced gas. Another new feature of the tender notice concerns the Genoa (Cornigliano) plant: the construction of an electric furnace and primary processing equipment functional to the site's operations may be included. Compared to the previous tender notice, the new binding offer must also include the purchase of the entire warehouse and include a revised business plan. The plan must specify the number of employees the bidder intends to retain within the company, as well as the duration of the commitment in terms of employment and business continuity.

The commissioners of AdI and Ilva, says the Mimit, "will evaluate the proposals according to industrial, environmental, and social sustainability criteria, reserving the right to initiate any relaunch and negotiation phases."

The draft of the new purchase agreement will be available in the data room by August 31. Binding offers must be submitted by September 15, 2025.