The deputy minister of industry, Zdenek Vorlicek, said yesterday that if the Cabinet does not receive a bid for CEZ that fulfills all the necessary privatization criteria by February 28, CEZ and six electricity distributors will not be privatized before the end of the government’s term (general elections take place on June 14 and 15). Confirms widely held expectations.
The daily MFDnes newspaper reports today that the ministry of Industry now wants CEZ to acquire the state’s stakes in regional distributors. The ministry thus wants to ensure that the newly elected Cabinet would privatize CEZ together with the distributors — the strategy followed by the current Cabinet. CEZ would also sell the transmission grid company CEPS to an unspecified state-owned company.
If the transaction were approved, executed, and not reversed by the next Cabinet, CEZ would benefit. Nevertheless, if the next Cabinet decides for asset-by-asset privatization, or if the antitrust office were not to approve the transaction, CEZ could be forced to sell the acquired assets: the whole transaction would end at where it began, with much time, effort, and transaction expenses spent on nothing.
The first reactor of the Temelin nuclear power plant should be re-activated today; it will run for five days and then will be halted for three weeks. The three-week break was previously planned to take place following the completion of dynamic tests, instead it will be used for the repair of broken fittings. The dynamic tests will be completed after the repair. The State Nuclear Safety Office welcomed these measures. Neutral.
(Jiri Soustruznik)