Business and functions of the main group companies
[GRI - 102-1],
[GRI - 102-6],
[GRI - 102-7],
Acea is one of Italy's leading multi-utility companies and operates in several public service sectors: water (integrated cycle), environment (energy development, recovering of material, waste processing and composting) and energy (production, distribution, energy sales and public lighting). It is the operator of reference in the Rome area for water and energy services; in the water sector, the Group is also present as an industrial partner of local management companies in some areas of Central and Southern Italy (from Tuscany to Campania). Development operations, in line with strategic guidelines, are concentrated in particular on the circular economy. In these areas, Acea is also present along the Adriatic ridge in central Italy and in northern Italy.
Table no. 4 shows some representative data of the Group, while the business areas and geographical reach of the main companies are briefly detailed in Chart no. 2.
Table no. 4 – Acea Group in numbers – 2023
| PERSONNEL (number, by % consolidation) |
10,220 |
|---|---|
| NET REVENUE (million €) |
4,649.4 |
| INVESTED CAPITAL (million €) |
7,669.8 |
| net equity debt |
4,846.8 |
| shareholders’ equity |
2,823.0 |
| tOTAL BALANCE SHEET ASSETS(million €) |
11,787.1 |
| ELECTRICITY | |
| generation (GWh) (gross) | 1,047.37 |
| of which from renewable sources (GWh) (gross) | 756.9 |
| hydroelectric | 425.9 |
| photovoltaic | 134.4 |
| biogas | 50.1 |
| network demand (GWh) | 9,800 |
| sales (GWh) (free and protected market) | 6,386 |
| electricity and gas customers (number) | 1,543,778 |
| WASTE-TO-ENERGY (WTE) | |
| electricity generation (GWh) (gross total) | 320.5 |
| waste burnt (t) | 376,391 |
| SRF | 294,174 |
| pulper | 82,217 |
| PUBLIC LIGHTING | |
| bulbs managed in Rome (number) | 232,334 |
| WATER (INTEGRATED WATER SERVICE) | |
| drinking water supplied and billed (Mm³) | 630.0 |
| analytical checks on drinking water (number) | 1,531,812 |
| Wastewater treatment (Mm³) | 978.5 |
| inhabitants served (million) | 8.8 |
NB: this table aims to reflect the Group's size as accurately as possible. Economic data and receivables/payables correspond to the full list of companies consolidated on a line-by-line basis; in the photovoltaic sector, due to the importance of the business, the production of the investee company AE Sun Capital, the company established with Equitix and not consolidated on a line-by-line basis, is also included; for water, in addition to the five companies in the NFS reporting boundary (Acea Ato 2, Acea Ato 5, AdF, Gori and Gesesa), the three main investee companies that are not consolidated on a line-by-line basis (Acque, Umbra Acqua and Publiacqua) are included.
Chart no. 2 – The businesses of the main Acea Group Companies in the local area
(*) The extraordinary shareholders' meeting of Acea Elabori SpA on 27 November 2023 resolved to change the company name to Acea Infrastructure SpA.
NB: in December of the year under review, Acea announced, with the publication of the relevant documentation, the proposed partial demerger of the business unit via spin-off into a NewCo (Acea Acqua SpA). The move involved shareholdings and 19 employees, relating to water management and activities.
The public notice for the waste-to-energy plant in Rome
In March 2023, Acea Ambiente responded to the public notice issued by the Municipality of Rome to find economic operators interested in presenting project financing proposals for assignment of the systems hub concession relative to the design, operating authorisation, construction and management of a waste to energy plant and correlated ancillary systems.
Acea Ambiente submitted its expression of interest together with important national and international partners, forming a business grouping with Hitachi Zosen Inova, Vianini Lavori and Suez. In November 2023, the Municipality of Rome, on the basis of the proposal submitted by Acea, published the call for tenders for the waste-to-energy plant, with an expiry date set at mid-May 2024. According to the contracting station timetable, the construction site must start by autumn 2024
The consolidation of the group's growth for external lines
During the year, Acea has pursued several corporate acquisitions of operators active in the Group’s businesses. In the environmental sector, Acea completed the acquisition of DECO in January. The Abruzzo company is active in the design, construction and management of municipal solid waste treatment, disposal and recovery plants and plants for energy recovery from renewable sources. Through DECO, the company Ecologica Sangro, which is also active in integrated waste management in the same region, also joins the Acea Group. April saw the completion of the merger between Acea and ASM Terni, launched last year. As a result, Acea's presence in the capital of ASM Terni increased to 45% and the Umbrian utility acquired 20% of Orvieto Ambiente, a spinoff of Acea Ambiente. This was a boost for Umbria's first integrated multi-utility, an industrial concern active in the water, waste management, electricity production and the distribution and sale of electricity and gas. Also in April, Acea completed the acquisition of SIMAM, a company specialised in the engineering, construction and operation of water and waste treatment plants, environmental interventions and remediation with high-tech solutions