Press releases

2025-04-02 Thanks to an agreement recently renewed for an additional two years, Hera is supporting the company managing the Fiumicino and Ciampino airports to develop circular initiatives aimed at reducing non-recoverable waste, improving recycling rates and making water consumption more efficient. centrata Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) and Gruppo Hera have joined forces to make Rome's Fiumicino and Ciampino airports increasingly sustainable, further developing the circular approach to resource management that has led Rome's airports to send all waste produced by passengers for recovery and to save over 1.4 million cubic metres of drinking water by 2024, using treated water for reuse for all uses where potable water is not strictly necessary. A protocol for the circular management of Rome’s airports The agreement between ADR and the Hera Group, renewed for another two years after an initial protocol launched in 2022, aims to continue along the path of continuous improvement in waste and water cycle management at the Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) and Giovan Battista Pastine (Ciampino) airports. This project is part of ADR’s sustainability plan, that sets sustainable process management at the heart of the company’s strategy. “As Hera Group, we are the driving force for the circular economy in Italian industry, able to provide services to large companies for a sustainable management of waste, reducing it and valorising it with material and energy recovery. This is why we are proud to put our expertise and long-standing expertise in the process of circular waste management and resource regeneration at the service of Aeroporti di Roma, one of the most important operators in the European airport management sector. Bolstered by our experience, we accompany ADR in their green transition, to achieve their ESG targets and increasingly ambitious goals in terms of recycling, efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Working together to make waste and water management processes more sustainable makes a solid contribution to a new development model, in which the recovery and regeneration of resources create economic, environmental and social value. We believe that the challenge of sustainability can only be won together, building partnerships that transform circularity projects such as those involved in the agreement with ADR into concrete results that combine sustainability with competitiveness” - Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group. “Sustainability and innovation are at the heart of Aeroporti di Roma’s strategy. We have set ourselves the ambitious goal of zero emissions at our airports by 2030, twenty years ahead of European targets for the sector. We recently inaugurated the largest self-consumption photovoltaic system in a European airport, but our commitment to the green transition extends beyond decarbonisation. For us, the responsible use of resources is essential, and we have therefore launched numerous initiatives and projects with a focus on reducing environmental externalities and circular resource management. Sustainable waste management is one of our priorities. Thanks to targeted measures, such as the reconfiguration of collection points and cooperation with sub-concessionaires, we have increased sorted waste collection in our terminals, ensuring that all waste produced by passengers is sent to recovery facilities. Optimising water management is also one of our strategic goal. We have implemented a dual water network that uses treated water from recycling or catchment, reducing drinking water consumption per passenger by 65% compared to 2012. We are proud to continue our collaboration with the Hera Group, whose know-how in this sector will help us continue along the path of an increasingly conscious use of resources” - Marco Troncone, CEO of ADR. Waste: more recycled, less discarded In 2023, thanks to the collaboration with the Hera Group, it was possible to map with extreme accuracy what the final destination of waste produced at Fiumicino and Ciampino airports, to know, for example, how much of it was recovered as materials and how much went to energy recovery. The Hera Group’s know-how in this area has been particularly valuable, given that since 2012 it has developed a certified report (“Tracking down waste”) that certifies the actual percentage of waste collected in the areas in which the Group manages municipal waste collection. In 2024, Fiumicino and Ciampino airports produced over 13,000 tonnes of waste. All the waste produced by passengers was sent for recovery, a result achieved thanks to the effective door-to-door separate waste collection system. Moreover, based on this methodology developed with Hera, it is expected, already by 2025, to further improve the recovery of different types of waste, with a focus on packaging and other significant sectors, to promote prevention, reuse and recycling. Concrete actions will thus be put in place for each type of waste, to reduce waste production and maximise the most virtuous forms of recovery. This will also be achieved by raising awareness and proactively involving the sales points and activities present within the airport, as well as passengers, by providing precise instructions to encourage waste reduction, the use of more easily recyclable materials and the separation of waste following usage. Water: more efficient management and recovery of the resource Sustainable use of the water resource is a priority strategy for ADR. At Fiumicino Airport, potable water is used for less than 30% of the airport's uses. Thanks to the presence of a dual network, ADR only uses potable water for those uses for which it is actually essential; in other cases it uses “treated” water from recycling or capture. Through advanced monitoring systems based on IoT technologies, the Hera Group and ADR are working to minimise the risk of any leaks or anomalies in the water network of the two Rome airports, thus further reducing the risk of waste. In particular, a project was introduced to develop a district-based drinking water network to allow for a real-time measurement of flows and pressures and thus promptly detect any faults. Based on an analysis of previous data, a network monitoring system was launched to contribute to a more efficient management of water as a resource. Furthermore, thanks to our collaboration with Heratech, the Hera Group’s engineering and laboratory analysis company, water quality monitoring initiatives with continuous analysis can be developed. Moreover, during the next year and a half, the Hera Group will share with ADR its twenty years of experience in drinking water management, and a modernisation of the centralised disinfection system in the Fiumicino network will be evaluated. Process optimisations at the airport’s industrial water treatment plant will also be implemented, to reduce wastewater consumption and increase reuse in view of the circular economy. Wastewater management, an increasingly circular approach Fiumicino Airport, like a medium-sized city, is equipped with two wastewater treatment plants that are directly managed by ADR. Wastewater treatment is an important element of the airport management process, and is another key aspect of the collaboration between ADR and the Hera Group. For several years now, ADR has been using a dual water network, separating the use of drinking water from that of treated water for reuse, and the water resulting from the purification process is reused for airport uses (toilets, heating systems, watering and fire-fighting systems). Thanks to the support of Herambiente Servizi Industriali (HASI), the Hera Group subsidiary specialising in industrial waste treatment and recovery, it has been possible to further develop a sustainable approach to wastewater management by implementing and upgrading water purification systems; the sludge resulting from this process is sent to composting plants for reuse in agriculture. HASI has helped improve the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants at both Fiumicino and Ciampino, identifying interventions to decrease energy consumption, chemicals used in pollutant abatement processes and sludge production, with a consequent reduction of CO2 emissions and transport and treatment costs. 20250402 PR Hera Group and ACR work together to further develop a circular approach .pdf 11:15:00 Download Press Release sede Hera 110x150.jpg

2025-04-01 The Hera Group subsidiary, among Europe’s leaders in plastic regenerating, has integrated Gurit Italia’s Carmignano di Brenta plant dedicated to PET recycling, an investment that looks towards the growth of an increasingly important market centrata Incremental production capacity of 15,000 tonnes Aliplast, among Europe’s leaders in plastic regeneration, grows again in recycled PET. Controlled by Herambiente, part of the Hera Group, this company has now acquired the Gurit Italia business unit dedicated to PET recycling, operating in the Carmignano di Brenta (Padua) plant, with an incremental production capacity of roughly 15,000 tonnes of recycled PET per year. An evolving regulatory framework will expand demand for recycled PET This acquisition is part of Aliplast’s broader strategy aimed at responding to the growing demand for recycled PET, which is also a consequence of the evolution of the European and Italian regulatory framework. In particular, legislative decree 196/21, which applies in Italy the so-called Directive 2019/904 SUP (Single Use Plastics), includes among its various requirements as of 1 January the obligation for plastic containers of liquid foodstuffs to contain at least 25% of recycled raw material. An increased use of recycled plastics is also required by the new European PPWR packaging regulation. The production and logistics platform integrated in Aliplast The Carmignano di Brenta plant processes incoming post-consumer PET coming from the recovery chains of the Corepla and Coripet consortia. Thanks to this investment, Aliplast will integrate a new PET grinding, washing and extrusion line, suitable both for food contact (e.g. bottles or food trays) and for use in fibres destined for consumer products such as clothing or automobile accessories. In addition to increasing production capacity, this acquisition will also optimise Aliplast’s logistics chain, which will be able to integrate Gurit’s large storage yards into its flow of goods. Petrone, Aliplast CEO: “continuing along a path of qualitative and quantitative growth” “This acquisition is, first and foremost, in line with our Business plan, which includes the regeneration of resources as one of its qualifying points,” explains Michele Petrone, Aliplast CEO. “It also continues along a path of growth characterised not only by an expansion of production capacity, but also by an increasing focus on quality and traceability, to guarantee customers the highest standards in terms of supply chain transparency and product safety. This is a vision that looks towards the long term and which in 2024 rewarded us with an expansion of our customer base by more than 9% compared to the previous year.” 20250401_Aliplast acquires Gurit Italia business unit.pdf 13:13:00 Download Press Release sede Hera 110x150.jpg

2025-03-31 The tests in the province of Modena were made possible by the protocol, unique in Italy, recently signed by Inrete Distribuzione Energia (Hera Group), the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security and the Italian Gas Committee. The progressive enabling of the existing assets to use hydrogen will make a concrete contribution to decarbonisation. The next step involves 10% blending centrata In the Modena area, Inrete Distribuzione Energia (a Hera Group company) has launched Italy’s first injection of a mixture of natural gas and 5% hydrogen into a gas distribution network serving a residential area. These trials are possible thanks to the protocol, unique in Italy, recently signed by Inrete, the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and the Italian Gas Committee (CIG), which allows for testing, in compliance with the most demanding safety requirements, methane gas mixtures with blending of up to 10% hydrogen in distribution networks. The goal is to create favourable conditions for the progressive enabling of mixtures with increasing percentages of gas with a low fossil carbon content to be used in networks, thus making a concrete contribution to the energy transition. The initiative was presented today in Castelfranco Emilia (Modena) near the construction site of the residential area chosen for the trial, in an event attended by the President of the Emilia-Romagna region, Michele de Pascale; the mayor of Castelfranco Emilia, Giovanni Gargano; the CEO of the Hera Group, Orazio Iacono; the CEO of Inrete Distribuzione Energia, Federico Bronzini and representatives of the CIG. The trials, carried out in agreement with the municipal administration of Castelfranco Emilia and in collaboration with numerous partners, will end on 3 April. More specifically, they involve the introduction of a mixture with 5% hydrogen into an isolated section of the network serving about 40 households in this town, all of which have been appropriately informed. This energy vector with a low environmental impact will contribute to the decarbonisation needs of local areas, while making it possible to use the existing gas infrastructure in Italy which is unique in Europe in terms of length and reach, without modifying the existing thermal plants. The project, supervised by internationally recognised bodies, involves the operators of the entire gas supply chain, from transport to equipment manufacturers, producers of boilers and gas burners. The final tests will also be extended downstream of the meters, thanks to the collaboration of the citizens involved, with checks on the operations of domestic gas appliances. “We are making an important step towards the energy transition,” comments Michele de Pascale, President of the Emilia-Romagna Region. “The launch, in Castelfranco Emilia, of Italy’s first 5% hydrogen blend in a natural gas distribution network serving residential users, represents a concrete and innovative step towards decarbonisation. This project makes it possible to experiment with the use of green gas in existing infrastructures, without modifying household systems and in full compliance with the strictest safety regulations. We are particularly proud that this initiative reflects the work done by the Hera Group, which was born out of the desire of many municipalities in Emilia-Romagna to join forces and bring together sustainability and competitiveness. Emilia-Romagna, thanks to its advanced industrial and technological ecosystem, has once again confirmed itself as a national laboratory for innovation with a view to sustainability. These trials are fundamental in enabling, in the future, a progressive injection of up to 10% hydrogen, valorising existing networks and making a concrete contribution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels.” “Hydrogen is a strategic vector for the future of the European energy system, and the Hera Group is already a leading national operator in this sector, at the forefront in enabling networks to transport green molecules as well,” comments Hera Group CEO Orazio Iacono. “Our business model integrates industrial growth with concrete sustainability, supported by strategic investments, which aim to develop businesses and at the same time make the areas in which we operate more competitive, liveable and resilient to global challenges. As a multi-utility, our role has changed over the years, and from distributors of commodities we have become enablers of the energy transition through our infrastructures. This is why our 2024-2028 strategic plan includes 2.5 billion euro of investments, out of a total of 5.1 billion euro, that will go towards an increasingly efficient, digitised and resilient network, while maintaining outstanding service quality. This path is unconceivable without the lever of innovation, which allows us to constantly trace new paths, to support the evolution of our business alongside the sustainable growth of the areas served through to the long term.” Trials, now in the third phase, to conclude with the last step at the end of the year Since 2021, Inrete has been at the head of a project that has already successfully experimented, twice, with injecting a mixture of natural gas and 2% hydrogen into the gas networks serving the same residential area that is now the focus of the new initiative. Having received full confirmation of the necessary measures, both in terms of technology and safety, the Hera Group company, after signing the protocol with the MASE and the CIG, has launched the third phase of the trials with the aim of exploring the various operational aspects that enable the infrastructure to receive, in its current layout, mixtures of natural gas and 5% hydrogen. The project will come to a conclusion towards the end of the year when, based on the results obtained, the feasibility of testing mixtures with an even higher quantity of hydrogen, up to 10%, will be evaluated. For a correct gas measurement, this trial requires the adoption of NexMeter by all users involved in the project. NexMeter is the G4 gas meter developed by the Hera Group, already enabled to measure mixtures of methane and hydrogen. This device, which has opened up new perspectives in the sector in terms of both advanced technology and safety functions, is already found in almost 300,000 Italian homes connected to the gas distribution networks managed by the Hera Group’s distribution companies. The following collaborate in this project: The supply chain partners participating in the project include BAXI, Bosch, Electrolux Group, Emerson, Ferroli, Immergas, Innovhub SSI, Pietro Fiorentini, Snam, TdZ, Valpres (a Bonomi Group company), Alfa Engineering and Idrotherm 2000; RINA is the certifying partner. 20250331 PR Hera Group Blending idrogen Castelfranco.pdf 13:43:00 Download Press Release: sede Hera 110x150.jpg

2025-03-28 centrata Kindly note that the following documentation, pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting convened for 30 April 2025, is available to the public at the Company headquarters, on the authorised storage website 1INFO (www.1Info.it) and on Hera Group’s website (https://eng.gruppohera.it/group_eng/corporate-governance/shareholders-meetings): Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 1 on the agenda - Extraordinary Session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 2 on the agenda - Ordinary Session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 3 on the agenda - Ordinary Session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 4 on the agenda - Ordinary Session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 5 on the agenda - Ordinary Session Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors’ Explanatory Report regarding item 6 on the agenda - Ordinary Session 09:39:00 sede Hera 110x150.jpg

2025-03-26 The year closed with growth in the main operating and financial indicators and in investments. The value created for all stakeholders and the Group’s financial solidity once again prove the validity of its multi-business model and ability to combine corporate growth with sustainable development. The proposed dividend was raised to 15 cents per share. centrata Financial highlights Revenues at 12,889.7 million euro Ebitda* a 1,587.6 million euro (+6.2%) Net profit* for shareholders at 494.5 million euro (+31.8%) Gross operating investments at 860.3 million euro (+5.5%) Net financial debt settles at 3,963.7 million euro, with net debt/Ebitda* at 2.50x Return on invested capital increases, with ROI rising to 10.4% Proposed dividend rises to 15 euro cents per share (+7.1%) Operating and sustainability highlights Growth in operating results supported by all business areas Energy customers rise to 4.6 million (+20%), while over 7.5 million citizens have at least one service provided by the Group Innovative initiatives continue to help the communities served pursue the ecological transition and strengthen the resilience of assets under management, in line with the industrial strategy to 2028 and the Net Zero by 2050 target Shared-value Ebitda rises to 856.6 million euro (+10%) and shared-value investments amount to 655.1 million euro (76% of total investments) Economic value distributed in the areas served over 2.1 billion euro   Today, the Board of Directors of the Hera Group, chaired by Executive Chairman Cristian Fabbri, unanimously approved the consolidated financial results at 31 December 2024, along with the Sustainability reporting, which as of this year is an integral part of the annual report, as foreseen by Directive 2022/2464/EU (CSRD), and the Report on remuneration policy and compensation paid. In 2024, the Hera Group continued along its path of growth in both free-market and regulated businesses; the 5.5% increase in gross operating investments demonstrates the Group’s ongoing focus on developing, enhancing and strengthening the resilience of the assets managed, whose solidity was confirmed even during the extreme weather and climate phenomena that hit Emilia-Romagna last autumn. In particular, the commitment to combine corporate growth and sustainable development with concrete initiatives capable of helping the country move towards the green transition was confirmed, fully consistent with the Group’s 2024-2028 Business plan and its Climate Transition Plan with a Net Zero by 2050 target. The operating and financial results thus highlight the ability to create value that orients the Group’s growth. Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of the Hera Group: “The results achieved confirm the Hera Group’s ability to continue along its path of creating sustainable value. The increase in the main economic-financial indicators and continuous improvement in return on invested capital, with ROI rising to 10.4% and Total shareholders return exceeding 35%, are clear signs of the solidity of our industrial model. We obtained significant growth in both our free market and regulated businesses, with Ebitda reaching close to 1.6 billion euro in 2024, while gross operating investments stood at 860.3 million euro, 35% higher than the average of the previous five years, 76% of which was aimed at pursuing decarbonisation, resilience and the circular economy. The growth in shared-value Ebitda as well, in absolute and percentage terms, testifies to our constant focus on creating not only economic, but also social and environmental value. Evidence of this lies in the economic value distributed in the local areas in which we operate, which in 2024 reached 2.1 billion euro. In addition to our infrastructural growth, we have also achieved commercial growth in all free market businesses and, in particular, in energy supplies, where we have reached 4.6 million customers, up 20%. Thanks to this further development, more than 13% of Italy’s population now receives at least one service from the Hera Group. In light of the results achieved and the Group’s financial solidity, we will propose to the Shareholders Meeting the payment of a dividend set at 15 euro cents per share, up 7.1% compared to the last dividend paid. The effects of this increase will extend to our entire dividend policy for the upcoming years. The results for 2024 therefore confirm once again the validity of our Group’s strategic vision and constitute the first building block of our Business plan.” Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group: “In 2024, the Hera Group confirmed its solidity and capacity for growth, recording an increase of over 30% in net profit for Shareholders, which rose to almost 500 million euro. All business areas contributed to this result, which proves the Hera Group’s ability to continue growing in a complex macroeconomic context. The positive operating performances were supported by effective financial operations, since 2024 benefited from the liability management and debt rationalisation initiatives undertaken since the beginning of the energy market crisis, which have helped maintain a net debt to Ebitda ratio of 2.5x, ensuring that the Group has significant financial solidity and flexibility among the lowest reached in last two decades. This operating-financial solidity allows us to continue along our path of external growth, fully consistent with the perspectives defined in the Business plan. Moreover, we continued to accelerate our commitment to the green transition, with a focus on decarbonisation, circular economy and resource protection, also thanks to the contribution coming from of the EIB financing line. In 2024, gross operating investments reached 860.3 million euro, continuing the trend in infrastructure development that has lasted for years, aimed at improving the quality of services and the efficiency of assets, thus making the local areas served increasingly liveable, competitive and resilient. The Hera Group has therefore once again demonstrated its ability to combine economic development and sustainability, making a significant contribution to the creation of value in the areas it serves and to the achievement of its sustainability objectives, using the lever of innovation to ensure efficiency and new opportunities for growth. Lastly, we must mention that this year we have drafted a Sustainability reporting that covers all the core standards defined by the ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards).” The Group’s path of growth continues at the same rate as the creation of value for stakeholders In line with the results achieved in 2023, 2024 was also a year that saw significant development for the Group, which continued to consolidate its role as a leading player in the sector, pursuing a strategy geared towards creating value for all stakeholders. In addition to significant internal growth, the company also continued to expand through external lines, with the aim of offering increasingly complete, innovative and competitive solutions to its customers. In addition, it leveraged its financial solidity and flexibility to acquire new strategic assets, expand the corporate scope and successfully participate in the tender for the Gradual protection electricity service. In a year characterised by ongoing international instability, persistent volatility in commodity prices due mainly to geopolitical tensions, as well as the extreme weather phenomena, the Hera Group was committed to guaranteeing the continuity and quality of its services with positive repercussions for the served communities fully concentrated in the Northeast part of the domestic market. This concrete and transparent value was also quantified by Ebitda and shared value investments. The Group’s ability to combine corporate growth and sustainable development was also proven by its increased investments for the circular economy, decarbonisation and energy efficiency, along with innovation and resilience of the assets managed, with concrete projects that are consistent with major national and international policies. Particularly significant is the path taken towards carbon neutrality, outlined in the Climate Transition Plan approved on 31 July 2024, with the ambitious target of reaching Net Zero by 2050. This goal will be pursued through an overall 90% reduction in emissions compared to 2019, in addition to offsetting residual emissions. This commitment reflects a long-term strategic vision, consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 decarbonisation outlook previously defined. In 2024, the Hera Group’s overall emissions for the defined scope of operation have already decreased by 14% (compared to 2019). Among the main events of 2024, mention must surely go to the tender awarded in February for the Gradual protection electricity service for household customers in 37 Italian provinces, which led the company to acquire approximately one million new customers, consolidating its role as the third largest operator in the sector. Once again in the energy area, in December the Group’s shareholding in EstEnergy increased to 100%, following the acquisition of 25% of the share capital from Ascopiave. Furthermore, in May the Group was awarded the tender called by the company Soelia, 100% owned by the Municipality of Argenta (Ferrara), for the corporate branch concerning plants, natural gas distribution networks and related management services, effective from 1 July. In the waste management sector, also in July, the Hera Group launched a partnership with Fincantieri that led to the establishment of the newco CircularYard, to optimise the management of the waste cycle in shipyards in line with the principles of the circular economy. The Group also continued to grow through strategic acquisitions, including the one involving 70% of TRS Ecology, thus consolidating its leadership in industrial waste treatment and recovery. In the area of public lighting, 30% of Triveneta Luce (Vicenza) was acquired, aiming to increasingly improve the energy efficiency and management of facilities in the municipalities served with advanced technologies. Revenues at approximately 13 billion euro The Hera Group’s 2024 revenues amounted to 12,889.7 million euro, down from 15,331.1 million euro in 2023 (-15.9%), mainly due to lower energy commodity prices and the loss of activities linked to the super-ecobonus. This drop was offset by higher volumes of electricity sold, thanks to significant commercial development. Ebitda* increases to almost 1.6 billion euro (+6.2%) Ebitda* for 2024 rose to 1,587.6 million euro, up 6.2% from 1,494.7 million euro at 31 December 2023. This growth was mainly organic and structural, and is due to the overall contribution coming from the energy area with 50.2 million euro, the water cycle with 25.7 million euro, and the good performance of the waste management area with 13.6 million euro. This result fully offsets the lack of margins related to the super-ecobonus and once again confirmed the solidity of the Group’s multi-business portfolio. Ebit* rises to 829.9 million euro (+12%) Ebit* increased to 829.9 million euro (+12%) from 741 million euro at 31 December 2023, twice the percentage growth seen in Ebitda thanks to normalised provisions to bad debts benefitting the drop from energy commodity prices. Net result* increases to 535.9 million euro (+28.5%) Financial operations in 2024 amounted to 153.8 million euro, with a clear improvement of 61 million euro compared to the previous year, mainly due to the optimisation of the financial structure and lower costs related to super-ecobonus activities. Even taking into account the 29.1% tax rate, higher than the 27.3% seen in 2023 (with a change due to the reduction of some benefits the Group received in the past and some write-downs made during the year that were not tax-relevant), the net result* at 31 December 2024 reached 535.9 million euro, up 28.5% from 417.0 million euro in the previous year. These figures also include the contribution of some positive non-recurring items mainly related to the acquisition of minority interests in EstEnergy. Net of these special items, the 2024 net profit* amounted to 488.1 million, as against a 2023 amount of 390.1 million euro, showing a 25.1% increase in Group profit. Profit for Shareholders* up by more than 30% At 31 December 2024, profit for shareholders* rose to 494.5 million euro, up 31.8% from 375.2 million euro in the previous year. Net of contributions from special items, profit for shareholders in 2024 amounted to 446.7 million euro, compared to 348.3 million euro in 2023, up 98.4 million euro. Growth in investments and improved net debt/Ebitda ratio* In 2024, the Hera Group’s operating investments, including capital grants, reached 860.3 million euro, up 5.5% from 815.8 million euro in 2023. Investments on the Group’s regulated infrastructures led to an increase in RAB, which rose to 3.6 billion euro, 250 million euro more than in 2023. The Group’s financial solidity was fully confirmed by a net debt/Ebitda* ratio at 2.50x, an improvement over both the third quarter of 2024 and the figure at 31 December 2023. Net financial debt amounted to 3,963.7 million euro, compared to 3,827.7 million euro at 31 December 2023, mainly as a result of increased capital expenditure and M&A, including the acquisition of 70% of TRS Ecology. The creation of value in 2024 is clear from the upward trend in return on equity (ROE), at 12.2% and up from 10.4% in the previous year. An improvement also occurred in return on invested capital (ROI), standing at 10.4%, compared to 9.8% in 2023. Shared-value Ebitda and investments increase to 856.6 million euro (+10%) and 655.1 million euro (76% of total investments) respectively As confirmation of the Group’s commitment to sustainability and creating value in the areas it serves, 2024 shared-value Ebitda, referring to business activities that also meet the goals on the Global Agenda, rose to 856.6 million euro, up 10% from 776.0 million euro in 2023 and corresponding to 54% of Group Ebitda. This result confirms the significant evolution of the CSV Ebitda foreseen by the Business plan, projected at more than 1,100 million euro in 2028, or 66% of total Ebitda. Shared-value investments also rose, up from 558.4 million euro in 2023 to 655.1 million euro in 2024 and accounting for approximately 76% of total gross operating investments. Moreover, around 90% of the investments eligible for the Taxonomy are already aligned with the criteria of the European Regulation and are thus able to contribute to environmental objectives including climate change mitigation, circular economy, water resource protection and pollution prevention. All this data testifies to the growing weight of initiatives that not only generate margins for the company, but also bring concrete benefits for the areas and communities served, in line with the goals on the UN Agenda. Over 2.1 billion distributed in the areas in which the Group operates In 2024, the Group distributed over 2.1 billion euro to suppliers, employees and public administrations in the areas it serves. Sustainability reporting in compliance with the CSRD and ESRS reporting standards The 2024 annual financial report includes, for the first time, the Hera Group’s Sustainability reporting prepared in accordance with legislative decree 125/2024 implementing the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) 2022/2464/EU and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). As required by legislation, this reporting is an integral part of the report on operations and contains all information necessary to understand the company’s impact on sustainability matters and how they affect its performance and results. More specifically, the Hera Group’s Sustainability reporting is structured according to the requirements of ESRS 1, which call for the document to be divided into four parts: general information, environmental (including disclosures pursuant to Article 8 of EU Regulation 2020/852, also known as the “Taxonomy”), social, and governance. The scope of the reported sustainability data and information includes all companies fully consolidated in the Group’s consolidated financial statements. Proposed dividend increases to 15 euro cents per share As announced in January during the presentation of the new Business plan to 2028, and in consideration of the significant results achieved, the Board of Directors decided to propose to the Shareholders Meeting held on 30 April the payment of a dividend coming to 15 euro cents per share, up 7.1% compared to the last dividend paid. This increase will be extended to the entire dividend policy in the upcoming years, reaching 17 euro cents per share in 2028, with net earnings per share rising by an average of 6% per year. The ex-dividend date has been set for 23 June 2025, with payment as of 25 June 2025. The dividend will be paid to the shares recorded on 24 June 2025. Report on remuneration policy and compensation paid approved The Board of Directors also approved the Report on remuneration policy and compensation paid, in line with international best practices. Gas Ebitda* for the gas area, which includes natural gas distribution and sales, district heating and energy services, rose to 571.4 million euro at 31 December 2024, up 10.5% from 516.9 million euro in 2023. The upward trend compared to the previous year was due to a return of variability on energy markets to the levels seen prior to the crisis, which offset the disappearance of non-recurring business opportunities that characterised 2023, such as energy efficiency activities supported by tax incentives (110% ecobonus), and lower customer consumption due to the increase in average temperatures and energy-saving behaviour. The reduction of modulation costs, in particular, consolidated sales margins and significantly improved the sector’s performance during the year. The contribution coming from gas distribution was also positive, benefiting from increased investments and positive changes in tariffs due to inflation recovery and WACC. The number of gas customers totalled approximately 2 million. Gross investments in 2024 amounted to 180.5 million euro, as against 191.8 million euro in the previous year, and went towards work on gas distribution and district heating networks and plants, the acquisition of new customers, and energy services. In particular, the Esco Hera Servizi Energia continued to provide condominiums, public administrations and industrial customers with its decarbonisation and energy saving services, including the construction of an NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building) structure and the seismic and energy requalification of a number of schools. During 2024, investments continued for the replacement of gas meters, while non-recurring maintenance work on networks and plants was carried out. Extraordinary items also included the corporate acquisition of Soelia, concerning gas distribution in the municipality of Argenta (Ferrara). The partnership with Panasonic Industry Europe, an operating company of the Japanese multinational and world leader in the production of electronic products and components, was also strengthened to increase distribution of the innovative NexMeter gas meter in the Italian and European markets. In addition, the construction of the two Hydrogen Valleys under construction in Modena and Trieste continued, which have obtained PNRR funding and will produce approximately 800 tonnes of green hydrogen per year, contributing to the decarbonisation of the companies and local areas involved, as well as redeveloping disused areas, with significant and positive environmental, social and economic consequences. The Group’s green gas strategy also includes experimenting with the first plant in Italy, located in Castelfranco Emilia (Modena), to use a mixture of gas and hydrogen in a municipal distribution network, which will be resumed in the coming weeks following the recent protocol signed with the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security and the Italian Gas Committee. The gas area accounted for 36% of Group Ebitda. Electricity In the electricity area, which includes electricity generation, distribution and sales services as well as public lighting, Ebitda stood at 322 million euro at 31 December 2024, compared to 326.3 million euro in 2023. This result was mainly due to decreased volumes supplied in the safeguarded service and a slowdown in energy efficiency activities following changes in tax incentives, only partially offset by higher margins related to growth in the energy customer market. Electricity distribution made a larger contribution thanks to the application of the ROSS regulatory criterion, investments in development, inflation recovery and the increased WACC. The number of customers in the electricity area reached 2.6 million, up 50.4% compared to the same period of 2023, mainly due to the positive outcome of the previously mentioned tender for the Gradual protection service for household customers, but also thanks to the contribution coming from activities to strengthen commercial action on the free market, focusing on value-added services involving the decarbonisation of consumption. In particular, due to a partnership with the Rimini-based company F.lli Franchini, of which Hera Comm acquired 60% in 2023, the range of energy efficiency solutions has been expanded, with a focus on the corporate segment, strengthening its presence in the market for sustainable solutions, including the construction of thermal and mechanical systems capable of significantly reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions. This consolidation further strengthens the Hera Group’s position in the sector, while promoting sustainable solutions for businesses as well. In the context of the energy transition, the corporate market has in fact seen significant growth, partially thanks to the valorisation of new services integrated with the supply of this commodity, such as plants for self-consumption integrated with storage systems, and energy consumption monitoring and management, which makes it possible to optimise supply costs, improve overall energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint. With regard to public lighting, in 2024 the Hera Group acquired approximately 44.5 thousand lighting points in 24 new municipalities, mainly located in Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Umbria, Liguria and Sardinia. The percentage of lighting points managed that use LED bulbs also rose, confirming the Group’s constant focus on an increasingly efficient and sustainable management of public lighting. Overall, in the electricity area, gross investments in 2024 amounted to 127.2 million euro, in line with the previous year. In distribution, instead, investments increased by 14.6%, for interventions mainly concerning upgrading on plants and networks, including the construction of new primary substations to increase hosting capacity, as well as the ongoing 2G meter installation activities and work to improve network resilience. These actions respond to the goal of anticipating the future incremental demand for electricity linked to the increasing electrification of consumption, and to enable the growing development of distributed generation. They also include the Smart Grid project developed by subsidiary AcegasApsAmga: planning has been completed and construction sites are underway for the main works that will strengthen the Trieste electricity grid and create new plants to power the port terminals in Trieste, responding to the city’s evolving needs, which will see the overall power demand double over the next 10 years. Lastly, in December, the Hera Group obtained 9.4 million euro from the PNRR to develop two advanced agrivoltaic systems in Emilia-Romagna, with an expected production of almost 30 GWh per year. The electricity area accounted for 20.3% of Group Ebitda. Water cycle Ebitda for the integrated water cycle area, which includes aqueduct, purification, and sewerage services, amounted to 297.1 million euro, up 9.5% compared to 271.4 million euro in the previous year, thanks to investments in development, increased regulatory WACC as of 2024 and inflation recoveries. The result for 2024 did not benefit from the two-year bonuses recognised by ARERA for the high-quality standards achieved by Hera in managing the integrated water service as it will be accounted for next year. More specifically, last year the Group was awarded first and third place in the general ranking of Italian operators (2020-21 two-year period) for its significant investments, state-of-the-art plants and use of the best technologies for an efficient management of the water cycle in the areas served, in line with the Group’s sustainability and circular economy strategies. Including capital grants, investments amounted to 261.1 million euro (+14.4%). The main interventions on the aqueduct, across the various areas served, include installing smart meters and districtisation activities (particularly in the Padua and Trieste areas and in the municipalities of the Marche region served by Marche Multiservizi) aimed at reducing network leakage, ongoing reclamation activities on networks and connections, and specific projects such as the development of the new supply system in Castelbolognese and the renewal of the adduction networks in Calderara di Reno and San Pietro in Casale, near Bologna. In the sewerage sector, interventions concerned constructing first rainwater basin in Cattolica, upgrading the sewerage network in various areas served, drain upgrading works, and works required by the extension of the Forlì and Modena bypasses. Moreover, in order to optimise management of the purifiers in Padua, AcegasApsAmga continued works for the construction of 7 new bio-dryers, fully financed by PNRR funds, which at present provide the best sustainable choice for drying sludge from the city sewage plants, destined for recovery. In addition to the Rimini seawater protection plan (PSBO), other interventions in purification include upgrading and expanding the Ravenna and Lugo purification plants, a new purification plant in Budrio (Bologna), and the construction of the new power-to-gas technology plant at the IDAR purification plant in Bologna, partially financed by the PNRR, which will make it possible to use purified water to produce first renewable hydrogen and then biomethane, using the waste oxygen for purification processes. Lastly, thanks to the two interventions launched for the construction of a new sewage system for wastewater in the municipalities of Petriano and Vallefoglia, including 4 new lifting stations, and the completion of the San Costanzo sewerage system, which will be concluded in 2025, the Pesaro-Urbino area will be released from the EU infringement procedure on purification. The integrated water cycle area accounted for 18.7% of Group Ebitda. Waste Ebitda for the waste management area, which includes waste collection, treatment and disposal services, stood at 367 million euro, up 4% from 353.4 million euro in 2023. More specifically, Ebitda for waste treatment and recovery services reached 305.8 million, while Ebitda for environmental services involving waste collection and street sweeping rose to approximately 61.2 million, mainly due to the efficiency gains in the operations of new concessions. In particular, an increase occurred in special waste, mainly due to an 8% increase in waste from third parties, thanks to the consolidation of existing business relations, the development of the customer portfolio, particularly in the industrial market, and expansion in complementary industry market segments. Despite the complex macroeconomic context with repercussions in the markets in which it is present, the Group thus continues along its path of growth in this business area, thanks to the diversification of its offer, the breadth of its customer portfolio and its ability to respond with innovative and integrated services. Hera has thus consolidated its role as a leading Italian and European operator in this sector, in particular in the industrial market following the acquisition of 70% of TRS Ecology, with a portfolio of over 2,700 customers. The renovations begun on the TRS platform in Caorso (Piacenza) are expected to strengthen the growth prospects of a well-established local company, and to develop future technical and commercial synergies with the Group’s other plant solutions and companies in an attractive geographical area of the domestic industry market. A key partner supporting companies in reducing and recycling waste, regenerating resources and achieving their ESG targets, Hera continues to play a strategic role in the environmental transition of the Italian industrial sector. One example of this is the aforementioned agreement with Fincantieri to manage almost 100,000 tonnes per year of industrial waste produced in shipyards in Italy and, in the future, also abroad. The goal is to create a new integrated waste management system through concrete initiatives, from reducing the waste produced to increasing the solid waste sent for recycling, valorising residues, recovering water and reducing CO₂ emissions. In addition, the numerous initiatives in the area of the circular economy and decarbonisation continued to implement the value creation and environmental sustainability objectives of local areas. This includes the CO₂ capture project at the Ferrara WTE plant, the first industrial-scale example of CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) applied to a plant of this type in Italy, selected to receive almost 24 million euro in funding from the EU Innovation Fund. Protecting environmental resources was a priority objective in 2024 as well, as was maximising their reuse. This is demonstrated by the special attention dedicated to increasing sorted waste collection which, thanks to the numerous projects the Group has put in place in all areas served, rose by 2.1 percentage points, going to 74.3% as against 72.2% in 2023. Mention must also go to the commitment to increase the sustainability of company fleets by using electrically powered vehicles and the increasing consumption of HVO fuel produced from depleted vegetable oil, which helps reduce CO2 by almost 90%. Gross investments for the waste management sector amounted to 162.3 million euro (+7.6% compared to 2023), mainly for maintenance and upgrading on the set of plants. This includes, for example, work on line 4 of the Padua WTE plant, non-recurring maintenance on the Modena, Forlì and Rimini plants, the work carried out by the companies HEA and Vallortigara to expand the Torrebelvicino plant, and the start of construction in Modena of Aliplast’s innovative rigid plastics regeneration plant, partially thanks to PNRR contributions. The authorisation process for expanding PE production and regeneration capacity at Aliplast’s Borgolavezzaro (Novara) plant was also launched, which will allow the company to increase its production capacity by approximately 20,000 tonnes per year. At the end of the year, work began on the first of the two lines of the new FIB3R plant in Imola, the only one of its kind in Europe. When fully operational, it will produce 160 tonnes of recycled carbon fibre per year, with a 75% energy saving compared to virgin fibre. Lastly, note that in December the tender called by Confservizi Cispel Toscana was awarded for the management of the Montale (Pistoia) WTE plant, capable of handling 50 thousand tonnes per year of municipal and special waste. The waste management area accounted for 23.1% of Group Ebitda.       Hera Group approves FY2024 results (1).pdf 13:50:00 Download Press Release sede Hera 110x150.jpg

2025-03-07 The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, the Italian Gas Committee and Hera’s subsidiary Inrete Distribuzione Energia have signed an operating protocol to test the introduction of a mixture of natural gas and up to 10% hydrogen into household networks. The project involves a residential area in the province of Modena, and internationally recognized bodies have been tasked with supervising safety aspects. centrata The Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), the Italian Gas Committee (CIG) and Inrete Distribuzione Energia (a company part of the Hera Group) have signed a protocol to carry out studies and field tests on mixtures of natural gas and hydrogen to be injected into distribution networks. This is the first project to fall under the framework agreement signed by MASE and CIG aimed at creating favourable conditions for developing trials with mixtures of hydrogen and natural gas, to gradually introduce increasing percentages of low-carbon gas into gas networks. The “pilot” operating protocol, for the first time in Italy, calls for mixtures containing up to 10% hydrogen to be gradually used to supply an isolated segment of the network. While complying with the most demanding safety requirements, this is aimed at testing solutions that use green gasses in the civil and residential sectors as well. These energy vectors with a low environmental impact, in fact, could contribute to the decarbonisation of local areas with significant environmental benefits, making it possible to make the most of Italy’s existing gas infrastructure, which is unique in Europe in terms of extensiveness, without modifying the current heating systems. The first step of the trial involves feeding a mixture with 5% hydrogen into the network, which will contribute to ongoing studies before increasing the percentage, helping meet the country’s need to diversify its energy sources. In line with its agreement with MASE and CIG, Inrete will therefore start testing in the upcoming months, cooperating with numerous partners and being supervised by internationally recognised bodies. The tests will involve operators from the entire gas supply chain, from transport to manufacturers of technological equipment, up to manufacturers of boilers and gas burners. The partial replacement of natural gas with hydrogen - whose combustion does not produce carbon dioxide (CO2), mainly responsible for global warming - is indeed a solution pursued by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, in collaboration with specialists in the field and with the aim of facilitating the energy transition. Trials within a project that started in 2022 in Castelfranco Emilia (Modena) As of 2022, Inrete is at the head of an initiative that has already successfully tested, with temporary two-step trials, the introduction of a mixture of natural gas and 2% hydrogen into municipal gas networks. The study involved around forty families living in a residential area of Castelfranco Emilia (Modena), all of whom were adequately informed. Having acquired the necessary know-how, in terms of both technology and safety, the Hera Group company, thanks to the protocol signed with the MASE and the CIG, and in agreement with the same residential area’s municipal administration, will launch the third phase of experimentation. It will thus be possible to explore the different operational aspects that enable the infrastructure to receive, in its current configuration, mixtures of natural gas and 5% hydrogen. This time, too, cooperation coming from citizens will be crucial, at no cost to the families residing in the area chosen for the tests. Indeed, the latter will also be carried out downstream of the meter, with checks on the operations of domestic gas appliances in households, including boilers and burners, to obtain a precise evaluation of the results. “The pilot agreement we have just signed with the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security and the Italian Gas Committee,” comments Hera Group CEO Orazio Iacono, “comes as important recognition of our ability to innovate in enabling infrastructures to support transitions, first and foremost the energy transition. The need to diversify our country’s energy sources, which is now urgent, cannot disregard the use of green gases such as hydrogen, and in this context our assets are ready to increase the percentage of the blend in networks, as foreseen by the protocol, reaching 10% and confirming their alignment with the European taxonomy. These trials represent an additional driver for developing strategic and innovative activities aimed at reducing the carbon footprint, by accompanying customers in the energy transition and ensuring the resilience of the areas served.” “We are proud to have signed this operational protocol with MASE and CIG for tests involving green gas,” adds Federico Bronzini, CEO of Inrete Distribuzione Energia. “We have thus confirmed our commitment to pursuing advanced solutions aimed at reducing energy dependence on traditional fossil fuels. Thanks to significant investments and our experience in the sector, we are ready to concretely promote, once again, the path towards decarbonisation in the civil and residential sector as well.” NexMeter, the advanced meter developed by the Hera Group For a correct gas measurement, this trial calls for the use of NexMeters by all users in Castelfranco Emilia involved in the project. NexMeter is the G4 gas meter developed by the Hera Group, already able to measure mixtures of methane and hydrogen; this device, which has opened up new possibilities in the sector thanks to both the advanced technologies it uses and its safety functions, is already found in almost 300,000 Italian homes connected to the gas distribution networks managed by the Hera Group’s distribution companies. The project’s collaborators: BAXI; Bosch; Electrolux; Emerson; Ferroli, Immergas; Innovhub SSI; Pietro Fiorentini; RINA; Snam; TdZ, Valpres, a Bonomi Group company, Alfa Engineering and Idrotherm 2000. 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