Italian energy concern Enel on Thursday confirmed that it has received several non-binding bids for purchasing its 66-percent stake in Slovak electricity utility Slovenske Elektrarne (SE). Enel didn't specify the number of bidders, but confirmed that Czech company CEZ and a consortium of Slovnaft and MVM are among them.
“We can state neither the names of further potential candidates, nor the number of received bids. As for the deadline for presenting binding bids, this may be around the end of this year or the beginning of the next year,” reads an Enel statement. Slovak oil refinery Slovnaft, an MOL Group (Hungary) member, and Hungarian energy company MVM Group announced their interest in SE earlier on Thursday. “The bid corresponds to Slovnaft's long-term strategy of maintaining and strengthening its strategic position on the regional energy market by diversifying its portfolio,” said Slovnaft spokesman Anton Molnar. CEZ, whose majority owner is the state, presented its bid on Wednesday, claiming that a merger of CEZ's and SE's capacities would introduce synergy in operation and development of nuclear and hydroelectric power plants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both bidders have announced that they need to carry out an analysis of the situation at SE first, however. The remaining 34 percent is owned by the Slovak state.
