Russia's OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS) and OAO SUEK will have to sell two generation companies before a planned merger of their energy assets gets antitrust approval, the Vedomosti business daily reports Thursday.
Citing unnamed sources at the state gas monopoly and Federal Antimonopoly Service, the paper said the pair will need to sell their Kirishskoe and Stavropolskoe generators, valued by analysts at $600 million to $900 million each.
Gazprom said earlier this week that it would fold part of its electricity assets into SUEK, Russia's biggest coal producer, taking a controlling stake in the company in the process.
Observers have said the merger - which would create the country's biggest electricity holding - goes against the spirit of ongoing sector liberalization.