Bulgaria called a tender for an international adviser on the planned sale of three of its aging thermal power plants, the privatization agency said yesterday.
The EU aspirant state, which leads the Balkans in power exports, is looking to upgrade and transform its power sector before liberalizing its energy market in 2007, when it is expected to join the Union. Analysts have valued the three thermal power plants, which have a combined installed capacity of 1,900 megawatts, at roughly between 80 and 200 million euros, but say their age and need of refurbishment make the lower end of the range most likely.
The privatization agency said it expected to choose the adviser by September. The Energy Ministry has said it sees the deals sealed by the first half of 2005.