ATHENS, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Greece expects that the European Commission will give it one more month until November to name a winner in the sale of coal-fired plants, its energy minister said on Thursday.
Greek utility Public Power Corp. (PPC), which is 51 percent state-owned, is selling three coal-fired plants and one still to be built after a European court ruled it had abused its dominant position in the coal market.
The utility has shortlisted all six investors interested in the plants and had to receive binding bids and name a preferred bidder by mid-October.
Energy Minister George Stathakis told reporters on Thursday that investors have asked for a one-month extension to submit their bids and said he expects the EU Commission which oversees the tender will approve their request.
“Reasoning is very strong, so we will get one more month.”
“Reasoning is very strong, so we will get one more month,” Stathakis said.
The interested parties are: A consortium of Beijing Guohua Power Company and Damco Energy; GEK TERNA; ElvalHalcor; Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding; Indoverse Coal Investments; Mytilineos.
(Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
