Italy's Eni has made no decision on potential Milazzo refinery closure

MILAN (Reuters) - Italian energy group Eni has made no decision or announcement about a potential closure of the Milazzo refinery in Sicily, an Eni spokeswoman said on Thursday.

A media report earlier on Thursday, citing Eni officials, said Milazzo would close as a result of air quality requirements that the plant was unable to meet in time. The report said closure was planned by Jan. 1, 2022.

“Milazzo Refinery itself, together with the other Sicilian refining operators, has formally appealed against the new environmental limits,” Eni said.

In 2018, the Sicilian regional government approved an air quality plan which laid down, among other things, emission targets for refiners operating in the area.

Some operators called the targets technically unachievable and trade unions expressed concern over possible job losses.

“As of today, the discussion with the (regional) authorities is in progress about both future limits and implications,” Eni said.

Milazzo refinery, which has an output of around 10 million tons per year, is operated through a joint-venture of Eni and Kuwait Petroleum Italy. (Reporting by Stephen Jewkes, editing by Sabina Suzzi and Bernadette Baum)