2020 Consolidated Report
Acea's 2020
Trend of operating segments
A year of Acea
"2020 Highlights"
Letter to Shareholders
The year ended 31 December 2020 was made historic year by the spread of a pandemic that has not only overwhelmed the whole of the human race in terms of health, but has unbalanced much that was thought to be unshakeable. Our company faced the crisis with an extraordinary response which deserves to be read beyond the numbers represented here, but which are also an expression of the commitment made. This effort, combined with our financial strength and the strength of our operating businesses allowed us, despite the situation, to achieve results that grew compared to the previous year.
The Chief Executive Officer
Giuseppe Gola
The Chairperson
Michaela Castelli
The year ended 31 December 2020 was made historic year by the spread of a pandemic that has not only overwhelmed the whole of the human race in terms of health, but has unbalanced much that was thought to be unshakeable.
Our company faced the crisis with an extraordinary response which deserves to be read beyond the numbers represented here, but which are also an expression of the commitment made. This effort, combined with our financial strength and the strength of our operating businesses allowed us, despite the situation, to achieve results that grew compared to the previous year.
The considerable increase in EBITDA is mainly attributable to the positive performance of the regulated activities of water and electricity distribution. This demonstrates the effectiveness of a strategy aimed at achieving sustainability objectives that combines economic growth and value creation.
In fact, the experience of this past year highlights how essential sustainability is for a new development model on a global level and how crucial the role of utilities is to enable this evolution and to relaunch the economy in our country.
Once again Acea has outlined its sustainable growth plan in the new 2020-2024 Business Plan, which shows, in presenting substantial aspects of continuity with respect to the previous plan, notable elements of change, especially with regard to the significant growth in the production of electricity from renewable sources, particularly in regard to the photovoltaic sector, and activities carried out in view of smart city concepts, to contribute to the energy transition and decarbonisation in an increasingly pronounced way.
Therefore, the position of the Group as an operator with a strong industrial vocation has been further consolidated and the desire to make major investments has been strengthened that, while maintaining the robustness of the financial structure, have a positive impact on the Group's operating and economic performance. Additionally, the constant drive towards innovation should be highlighted, with further investments in digitisation and the creation of intelligent management systems for grids and services.
At the same time, the commitment to protect water resources and to prevent and mitigate the effects of climate change continues, together with infrastructural growth in the waste treatment sector and in the circular economy, expanding know-how in asset management and bringing value through the application of new technologies.
Precisely by virtue of the role performed in these essential sectors, Acea worked from the earliest evidence that Covid-19 was spreading, to define and implement all the measures necessary to guarantee the continuity and quality of service, while at the same time adopting prevention protocols for the safety of its people working in the territory, in the plants, in the offices and in branches open to the public, and taking care to also protect customers, users, suppliers and in general anyone who had access to the Group locations.
The forecast for 2021 is for even more growth, even though it is still a complex scenario. The success of the Green Bond placement last January confirms that sustainability is a structural factor that guides strategic business choices and operational management, with a view to consolidation and strengthening through new opportunities for positioning the Group in the sectors of reference.
Thank you to everyone who dedicated their time not only to achieving these results, but also for having contributed to making Acea a company that is reliable and worthy of its customers' and stakeholders' trust. By talking and listening to us, our customers and stakeholders have seen a distinctive element in our company that we trust will continue to grow over time.
Go to the summary of results
Consolidated revenues
Income before tax
Net results of the Group
Corporate Highlights
Results by segments
around 9 mln
residents served in Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria, Campania and Molise
With over 9 TWh
of electricity distributed
Commercial and Trading
7.1 TWh
of electricity sold
423 kTon
Liquids treated at plants
Number of customers (user accounts served)
Total number of analyses
Contributions to composting plants
Energy Infrastructures
Km of network
165 MSmc
Gas Sold
Operating Segments
Acea's macro structure is organised in corporate functions and six operating segments: Water, Networks, Commercial and Trading,Overseas and Engineering and Services.
With regard to the operating segments, the activities of each of them are reported below.
The ACEA Group is the top Italian operator in the water sector serving 9 million people. The Group manages the integrated water service in Rome and Frosinone and in the respective provinces, as well as in other parts of Lazio, in Tuscany, Umbria, Campania and Molise.
The ACEA Group is a major operator in Italy with about 10 TWh of electricity distributed in Rome. The Group also manages the public and artistic lighting of the capital for a total of 224,000 lights. The ACEA Group is committed to energy efficiency projects and the development of new technologies, such as smart grids and electric mobility, through particularly innovative pilot projects.
The ACEA Group is one of the leading Italian players in the sale of electricity and offers innovative and flexible solutions for the supply of electricity and natural gas with the objective of consolidating its positioning as a dual fuel operator.
The ACEA Group is one of the leading national players with more than 1 million tonnes of waste processed each year. It manages the main waste-to-energy plant and the largest composting plant in Lazio. In particular, the Group develops investments in the waste to energy business.
The ACEA Group manages water activities in Latin America and its objective is to make the most of development opportunities in other businesses related to those already held in Italy. It is present in Honduras, Dominican Republic, Colombia and Peru, serving approximately 7 million people.
The Group has developed know-how at the forefront in the design, construction and management of integrated water systems: from the source to the pipelines, from distribution to the sewer network, and treatment. It develops applied research projects aimed at technological innovation in the water, environmental and energy sectors.