Sweden's Vattenfall switched on to Polish energy market

Swedish Vattenfall wants to buy not only 25% of Silesia-based Gornoslaski Zaklad Elektroenergetyczny (GZE) but says it is also interested in Bedzinski Zaklad Elektroenergetyczny (BZE). During a news conference on Thursday the Swedes were trying to demonstrate they were the best partners for GZE. " We serve one-third of Scandinavia and we could use our connections to attract potential investors and make them put their money in Silesia," said Vattenfall Poland Sp. z.o.o vice-president Torbjorn Wahlborg. He added the company had great experience in the heavy industry sector and was good at dealing with labor. The company is taking part in a tender along with seven other companies including German RWE, American PSEG and an international consortium led by Japanese Marubeni. The energy sector is now looking forward to significant changes as the Treasury Ministry is working on a project under which several companies, among them BZE, would form a new distribution group. So far the Swedish company has invested about $240 million in Poland and is a shareholder in Elektrocieplownie Warszawskie. (Prawo i Gospodarka, page 4) J.K