The Privatization Agency (PA) terminated the procedure for the sale of 100% of the thermal power plant (TPP) in Rousse in January. The decision followed the cancellation of negotiations with RAO United Energy Systems (UES) after last summer the Commission for the Protection of Competition decided that the Russian company could not acquire both plants in Rousse and Varna, which were offered in two parallel procedures. RAO UES chose to hold talks on the Varna TPP but that deal also failed. The offer of the second-ranked bidder for the Rousse TPP, Czech CEZ, was not satisfactory. Therefore the PA has decided not to hold negotiations with it and terminate the procedure.

However, the plant urgently needs fresh financing to carry out its investment program and upgrade its capacities in compliance with the European requirements. Therefore a new privatisation procedure should be launched recently.