MILAN, Nov 18 (Reuters) -

Italy's biggest utility Enel said on Monday it

would lift its minimum dividend for the 2025-2027 period to 0.46

euros per share from 0.43 euros previously.

In its updated three-year plan, the state-controlled

group said it would invest around 43 billion euros ($45

billion), 7 billion euros more than previously envisaged in the

2024-2026 strategy.

Capital expenditures on power grids will increase around

40% compared with the previous plan to 26 billion euros,

investments in renewable projects will be 12 billion euros,

almost flat versus 2024-26 strategy, and 2.7 billion euros will

be devoted to customers.

This year the group expects to complete a wide-ranging

asset disposal plan started in late 2022 that will cut its debt

to around 2.4 times its core earnings, under the sector's

average.

In addition it expects to meet all its targets for 2024

on the back of strong results of its renewable division.

With its debt in check and the group focused on core

countries, the management team headed by CEO Flavio Cattaneo

will now boost capital expenditures in regulated assets.

"Between 2025 and 2027, we will focus on core activities

and a flexible capital allocation, increasing investments mainly

on regulated assets with predictable returns that will also

support the acceleration of the energy transition," Cattaneo

said in a statement.

($1 = 0.9486 euros)