PRAGUE (Dow Jones)--Bulgarian national power generator and grid operator NEK EAD confirmed Wednesday that it has received five non-binding bids to acquire a 49% stake in a nuclear power plant under construction near the northern city of Belene.
The NEK press office confirmed that Czech power company CEZ AS (BAACEZ.PR), Germany's E.ON AG (EONGY) and RWE AG (RWEOY), Italy's Enel SpA (EN), and Belgium's Electrabel SA, owned by French utility Suez (12052.FR), all placed bids for the minority ownership stake and to operate the plant.
The nuclear facility will have two 1,000 megawatt reactor units and an operational life of 60 years, NEK said. Russia's Atomstroyexport is building the plant.
According to people close to the bidders, NEK is expected to pick a winner by the end of January.
However, the Bulgarian company's press office refused to confirm that date, saying bids are now being opened and the company must assess the bids to determine the next step before committing to a timeline.
This is the second time the bidders have submitted offers, as NEK last year sought better bids from the same bidders and returned original non-binding offers.
Neither NEK nor the respective companies would comment on prices offered in the current bids.
"We can't say if offers are higher; the committee is now opening offers," the NEK press office said.
Spokespeople for CEZ, Enel and RWE said their companies had submitted "clarified" bids but wouldn't divulge whether that meant a higher price.
However a person close to one of the bidders said that one of NEK's conditions was that the bidders improve their offers and that this implies the bids were improved upon.
E.ON and Suez didn't offer any comment.
NEK will retain a 51% stake in the power plant company.