Electrabel takes lead in bidding for energy distributor

Belgian energy company Electrabel has offered zl.708 million for a 25% stake in Warsaw's energy distribution company STOEN. According to unofficial sourc es quoted by Puls Biznesu, the offer will appear on the short list of invest ors who will qualify for the second part of the STOEN tender, scheduled for December 19. Electrabel is already an investor in the Polaniec power plant. French firm EDF had the second largest bid for the stake in STOEN, at zl.600 million, and German RWE was in third place with zl.552 million. Thus far, an alysts had considered RWE and the Swedish firm Vattenfall to be the favorite s. Vattenfall might not be placed on the short list for the second part of t he tender, as its offer was the smallest, amounting to zl.356 million. (Puls Biznesu, p. 7) M.T.