German utilities group E.ON has sold its Italian coal and gas power plants to Czech energy company Energetický a Průmyslový Holding (EPH).

The deal announced this week has a total capacity of 4,500 megawatts (MW), including a 600 MW coal plant in Sardinia and a 3,900 MW gas plant in Sicily.

CEO of E.ON, Johannes Teyssen said: “Our conventional generation activities in Italy are high performing assets with a climate-friendly and diversified generation fleet. They are a key element of energy security in Italy and I am convinced that the new owner will continue to invest into the energy system of the country.”

EPH has power plants in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and Poland and transports Russian natural gas to the EU according to their website. The deal is expected to close between the second quarter this year.