EIB provides €345 million to Alperia to strengthen sustainable energy and infrastructure in South Tyrol

Source: European Union 2   Published on: 2026-07-07

• First €200 million tranche signed on 1 July 2026

• Agreement will support the modernisation of hydropower plants, electricity grids, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and district heating

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved financing of up to €345 million for Alperia, one of Italy’s leading green energy companies, to support a broad investment programme across multiple sectors, designed to strengthen the sustainability and security of energy supply in South Tyrol. The first €200 million tranche was signed on 1 July 2026 by Jean-Christophe Laloux, EIB Director General and Head of EU Lending and Advisory, and Luis Amort, Chief Executive Officer of Alperia.

Structured as a Green Loan[1], the financing will support investments to refurbish and modernise existing hydropower plants, upgrade electricity distribution networks, develop charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and expand district heating networks. These investments are expected to reduce CO2 and air pollutant emissions while improving the security and reliability of electricity and heat supply.

The hydropower investments will renew major generation plants in South Tyrol that produce more than 3 000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, enough to power around 1.16 million households in Italy. Investments in electricity networks will help meet additional power demand of around 140 GWh and support the installation of around 400 electric vehicle charging stations. Investments in district heating will connect more than 200 buildings through the expansion of the existing network.

“Accelerating investment is essential to help energy operators reduce their environmental footprint over the long term and ensure safer, more resilient systems,” said Jean-Christophe Laloux, EIB Director General and Head of EU Lending and Advisory. “This financing supports a comprehensive programme that strengthens strategic infrastructure and makes a tangible contribution to the energy transition.”

“This financing is an important endorsement of the strength of our Group and of the key role it plays in developing efficient, secure and sustainable energy infrastructure for the benefit of the region,” said Luis Amort, Chief Executive Officer of Alperia. “The EIB’s support is of strategic importance for the implementation of our industrial plan, backing targeted investments in hydropower plants, electricity grids, electric mobility and district heating, in line with the objectives of the energy transition.”

Background information

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion in new financing and advisory services for over 870 high impact projects under eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investments union. In Italy, the EIB Group signed 105 new financing agreements totalling €12.3 billion in 2025. Beyond long term loans for large infrastructure, the EIB Group crowds in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses. It also plays a growing role in Europe’s markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations. The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the EIB Group subsidiary specialised in guarantees and equity. Its specific role is to improve access to finance for small and medium sized businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor through its broad network of partner banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilises private investment and supports a venture capital ecosystem for innovative European entrepreneurs.

Alperia is one of the leading multi utilities in northern Italy, with consolidated revenue of €2.43 billion, EBITDA of €446 million and investments of €222 million in 2025. It is also one of Italy’s largest hydropower producers, with more than 1 400 MW of installed capacity. The South Tyrol based company’s activities range from renewable energy production, electricity grid and district heating management to the supply of green electricity and CO2 compensated gas, as well as solutions for electric mobility and energy efficiency. Alperia offers innovative technologies for improving building energy performance and supports companies on their decarbonisation journey, with solutions to reduce energy consumption from energy audits to artificial intelligence, advanced automation systems to optimise complex production processes and building climate control systems. Since 2020, Alperia has offset its operational emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) and has set targets to reduce emissions by 46% by 2027 and by 70% by 2031, compared with 2021, with the aim of reaching net zero by 2040.

 [1] The EIB Green Loan is granted to financing that contributes 100% to the Bank’s climate action and environmental sustainability objectives, in line with the Green Loan Principles.

The project will support the promoter’s investments across several sectors between 2025 and 2030. These include e-mobility infrastructure, the modernisation of several existing hydropower plants, as well as the refurbishment, upgrading, and expansion of its electricity distribution network and district heating assets in Italy.

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