Servicing almost 4.2 million customers and with annual distribution of 4 billion cubic meters of natural gas, İGDAŞ is twice as big as Başkent Doğalgaz, 80 percent of which was bought by MMEKA machinery in a tender held on Aug. 16 for $1.21 billion.
Today’s Zaman has learned from İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality authorities that over 20 large companies are seeking to buy İGDAŞ at a tender whose date will soon be announced. Among these corporations are Russian Gazprom, French Gaz de France, Italian Eni and German EWE and ENBW as well Koç Holding, Limak Yatırım, AKSA Doğalgaz, Yıldızlar SSS Holding, Akfen Holding, the Oyak Group and Zorlu Holding from Turkey.
MMEKA machinery has not yet decided to bid for İGDAŞ. Company Chairman Mehmet Kazancı told Today’s Zaman that they are focusing on financing the Başkent Doğalgaz acquisition. The İş-Kaya İnşaat-MMEKA joint venture won tenders for two major power distribution grids the week before. The consortium bid approximately $5 billion in privatization tenders to operate Turkey’s largest power grids, Boğaziçi and Gediz, in some of the country’s largest cities, İstanbul, İzmir and Manisa.
Speaking to Today’s Zaman on condition of anonymity, an official with the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality said the date for the İGDAŞ tender will be announced in the days ahead after a meeting with Mayor Kadir Topbaş. The revenue from the İGDAŞ sale will go entirely to the municipality and will be used to invest in the metro system and other infrastructure in the city.
İGDAŞ earned over TL 2.84 billion last year and paid more than TL 24.4 million in corporate taxes, becoming the 71st largest corporate taxpayer in Turkey. The company sells natural gas to half of all clients in the country. İGDAŞ employs 2,176 personnel.
