The Austrian energy company EVN offered EUR 32.1mn for taking over the full stake in the heating utility in the country's second largest city of Plovdiv . The French Dalkia submitted the only other bid of EUR 25mn before the expiration of the yesterday's deadline. The other two certified candidates -- Czech Electricity Company (CEZ) and consortium of Russia 's Gazprom and local Overgas -- did not offer binding bids. The privatisation agency vows to complete the sale by the end of the year after taking into account non-price parameters. The price is however supposed to play a major role in the winner selection process. The heating utility in Plovdiv supplies heating power and hot water to more than 38,200 households, 23,000 administrative buildings, and 1,100 enterprises. Its pipeline network is calculated at 165 kilometres . Apart from heat generation and distribution, the company has co-generation units for electricity production. In periods of high capacity utilisation , electricity supplies cover around 14% of the city's total demand. The heating utility has posted total net sales of EUR 14mn last year amid a net profit of EUR 0.2mn. The likely new owner EVN holds majority stakes in the two electricity distribution groups in the south-eastern region of Bulgaria , including the city of Plovdiv . It also participates in the ongoing privatisation tender for the district heating and power generation company in the country's fifth largest city of Ruse .