PRAGUE (Thomson Financial) - Bulgarian state energy regulator SEVRK postponed in mid September the merger of three Bulgarian distribution companies owned by Czech power utility CEZ, Czech weekly Tyden reported in an excerpt of an article to be published on Monday, citing no sources.
"The regulator initiated further negotiations and is investigating whether the merger of the distribution companies will be beneficial enough for end customers," CEZ spokeswoman Eva Novakova said.
CEZ announced in August it plans to merge as of October its Bulgarian distribution companies into one, in a bid to cut costs.
The weekly also reported that all three CEZ Bulgarian distributors as well as its Varna power plant have filed court complaints against the Bulgarian regulator, protesting against the too low level of prices which the regulator set in October 2005 and 2006.
"The decision of the regulator about the level of prices isn't in line with facts we provided to the regulator as basis for its decision, that's why we decided to use the legal remedy," Novakova said.
CEZ owns 67 pct stakes in Bulgarian distributors Elektrorazpredelenie Stolicno, Elektrorazpredelenie Sofija and Elektrorazpredelenie Pleven, and had said it was interested in buying the remaining stakes from the Bulgarian government.