Russians interested in Slovenske Elektrarne

Russian interest in Slovak Slovenske elektrarne (SE), a.s., Bratislava is no longer a speculation. RAO JES and gas company Gazprom are both interested. The interest of RAO JES was expected but Gazprom surprised everyone. The surprise is even bigger as Gazprom has not paid the 900 million US$ for the stake in Slovak gas distribution company SPP it acquired together with German Ruhrgas and Gaz de France yet. The two-year deadline will expire in middle of next year. Last week spokesman of Gazprom, Sergej Kuprianov said for the daily Vedomosti that the company was looking at conditions of privatisation of SE. 'Our primary interest is the production of electric power not the sales and so we could participate together with RAO JES,' said the spokesman. His colleague form RAO JES, Andrej Egorov confirmed that his company was seriously considering its participation in privatisation of SE. In regards to a joint participation with Gazprom he said that the energetic holding was prepared to the asses different possibilities of its participation. One of its major partners is the American energetic concern AES Corporation that's name has also been mentioned among the potential prospects in this privatisation