THE UK's Guardian newspaper reports today that RWE, one of Germany's larges utility companies, is considering selling its gas pipeline network to settle an EU anti-trust case and avoid a hefty fine. The German group and the European commission confirmed they were in talks about "possible measures" to end an investigation that began in May last year which concerns the suspected exclusion of potential rivals from the market in RWE's home state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The measures could include the sale of the utility's 7,000-km gas-distribution network or handing it over to an independent operator that would run it and control investments.