Former Enel bosses Tatò, Scaroni convicted

Found guilty of 'environmental disaster' over Porto Tolle plant

(ANSA) - Rovigo, March 31 - A court in the northern city of Rovigo on Monday sentenced two former chief executives of Enel, Franco Tatò and Paolo Scaroni, to three years in prison over emissions from the Italian electricity utility's Porto Tolle power plant. The pair were banned from holding public office for five years after being found guilty of causing "environmental disaster" and ordered to pay civil plaintiffs a total of around 430,000 euros in compensation. Prosecutors said the company failed to install equipment that would reduce the plant's impact and linked this to an increase in respiratory diseases among children in the area. Enel's current CEO, Fulvio Conti, was acquitted along with six other people. In Italy convictions do not become effective until the appeal's process has been completed.

"This affair has nothing to do with me and I'll appeal immediately," Scaroni, who is the current chief executive of oil-and-gas giant Eni, told ANSA. "I'm stunned by this decision. As the defence showed, the Enel plant at Porto Tolle always respected the standards in force at the time".