L 329/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 5.12.2002 COMMISSION DECISION of 19 June 2002 on State aid which Spain is planning to grant to BBE and BBG for the construction of a power and heat supply station (Bahia de Bizcaia Electricidad — BBE) and a regasification plant (Bahia de Bizcaia Gas — BBG) in the port of Bilbao (notified under document number C(2002) 2146) (Only the Spanish text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2002/936EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the said Article (') and having regard to their comments, Whereas: 1. PROCEDURE By letter dated 26 January 2001, registered on 29 January 2001, the Spanish Permanent Representation notified, pursuant to Article 88(3) of the Treaty and in accordance with the multisectoral framework on regional aid for large investment projects (%) (the multisectoral framework or the framework), the proposed aid for the construction of a combined cycle thermal power station and a regasification plant in Bilbao. By letter dated 30 March 2001, registered on 4 April 2001, Spain sent additional information to the Commission. By letter dated 6 June 2001, the Commission informed Spain of its decision to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the Treaty in respect of the proposed aid. The Commission Decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (°). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid. () O] C 231, 17.8.2001, p. 2. () 0] €107, 7.4.1998, p. 7. (%) See footnote 1. ) By letter dated 14 September 2001, registered on the same day, BBE and BBG sent their comments to the Commission. By letter dated 25 October 2001, registered on 30 October 2001, the Spanish authorities sent their comments to the Commission. By letter dated 19 December 2001, the Commission asked the Spanish authorities for additional information. This was sent by letter dated 1 February 2002, registered on 4 February 2002. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE AID The notification covers two projects: a combined cycle thermal power station (Bahia de Bizcaia Electricidad), and a regasification plant (Bahia de Bizcaia Gas). The two facilities will be built near the port of Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain). The authority granting the aid is the Basque Government (an autonomous authority). According to the information provided by the Spanish authorities, the proposal is not part of any current regional aid scheme authorised by the Commission. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that the Bizcaia Provincial Council (Diputaciéon Foral de Bizcaia) was intending to grant a tax credit of 45 % of the basis of assessment, amounting to ESP 54 149 million (EUR 325 442 040) for the BBE project and ESP 43 486 million (EUR 261 360 000) for the BBG project. However, the Spanish authorities informed the Commission, by letter dated 23 May 2000, registered on 24 May 2000, that both undertakings had refused the said tax concessions. The recipient undertakings for the projects are, respectively, the recently formed companies BBE and BBG, of whose capital BP-Amoco, Repsol, Iberdrola and EVE (Ente Vasco de la Energia, a public sector undertaking owned by the Basque Government) each hold 25 %. All the shareholders in the new firms can be considered to be large firms.