Terna Energy informed that Hellas Smart Ticket (HST) and OASA Group (Athens Urban Transport Organization) signed an agreement for the study, financing, operation support, maintenance and technical management of an Automated Ticket Collection System, on the basis of a Public & Private Partnership.

TERNA ENERGY (80%) and LG – CNS (20%) are the shareholders of HST which is the Private Partner participating in the above partnership.

The total investment amounts to EUR 67 million, of which EUR 29 million concern the part which will be financed from the Public Sector via ESPA (National Strategic Reference Framework – NSRF).

The project provides among others for the supply and installation of ticket validation machines in all transportation means, of administration centers, ticket control systems, as well as installation of entrance gates in the metro stations and the suburban railway. Furthermore, it provides for the issuance of electronic cards or passes (“smart” cards) which will fully replace the paper tickets and the unlimited travel cards.

The completion of the project will drastically resolve the issue of ticket evasion and significantly increase the revenues of the Athens Urban Transport Organization (AUTO). Furthermore it will upgrade the services rendered to the citizens of Athens and improve to a significant extent the planning of the transportation routes of the Organization on the basis of realistic passenger transportation data and with the knowledge of the full transportation need. Finally it will allow for the adoption of ticket rendering policies on the basis of the traveled distance and the frequency of transportation use.

The PPP‐based agreement has 12‐year duration. The first two (2) years refer to the preparation and installation period, whereas the following 10 years concern the operation period.