The European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) said on Thursday itis considering providinga senior loan
of675 million lei, equivalent to152 million euro ($169 million),to Romanian
power distributor CEZ Distributie.
The proceeds of the loan will be used
to cover CEZ Distributie’s 2015-2016 investment programme, the EBRD said in a
statement.
The programmeaimsat reducing losses, improving efficiency
and installing smart meters, as well as restructuring the company'sbalance
sheet in order to optimise its capital structure with the tariff methodology in
place in Romania.
The investment will allow CEZ Distributieto reduce its
technical and commercial losses, the EBRD also said.
CEZ Distributie,
which is100%-owned by Czech energy group CEZ, operates in
Romania'ssouth-western region.