Centrica plc (Centrica) today announced that it had received full regulatory approval from the European Commission for its proposed purchase of GDF-Suez's 25.5% stake in Belgian generation and supply company SPE SA (SPE). Details of the transaction were first provided on 23 July 2008 and completion of this deal is now expected within the next week, increasing Centrica's overall shareholding in SPE to a controlling 51 per cent.