Brussels, 26/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - On 26 July, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Italian electricity company ENEL S.p.A. signed a €380 million loan agreement for financing the power utility's 2012-2014 programme of investment in its distribution network. Investment, by Enel Distribuzione, should serve to bolster and extend the network and the power load capacity of the existing lines, thus allowing 240,000 new users to be connected, many of whom are represented by small and medium-sized generator companies using renewable sources of electricity. More than a third of the new connections (37%) will be in southern Italy. At the technological level, the project is state-of-the-art given the make-up of the components to be used to establish smart grids and improve the existing traditional grids (tension sensors, actuators to interrupt and re-establish electrical current both under normal operating conditions and when there is a breakdown, innovative microprocessor protection systems, static storage systems and grid regulation systems, WiFi communications infrastructure, WiMax and fibre optics). The ENEL investment programme is in line with the EIB's traditional sectors of activity. (FG/transl.jl)