After its recent acquisitions of three Bulgarian distributors, CEZ is also interested in (up to) three Bulgarian lignite power plants that are to be privatized in the foreseeable future. In Romania, it plans to submit (by end-September) binding bids for regional power distributors in Moldovia and especially Oltenia, which neighbors the acquired Bulgarian distributors. Binding bids for the state's 66% stake in Slovenske elektrarne, the dominant Slovak power producer, should by submitted by this Wednesday. CEZ's chance to win the tender is however rather small; the Russian RAO UES is considered the favorite, the Euro weekly reports today without citing its sources.
Besides its already declared interest in Polish power distribution assets, CEZ is reportedly considering building a new coal power plant in the SW part of Poland (Turow). The East German Saxony (Laubag) is considered as another possible location for a plant. Note that CEZ has to replace most of its lignite power plant capacity in approx. 10-15 years and, unlike the Czech Republic, there are no territorial mining limits in both Poland and Germany. Source: Euro.
Neutral at the moment.
Jan Hájek