The subsidiary of the National Electricity Company (NEC), the Electricity System Operator (ESO), has admitted ten companies to bid in the first tender for exports of electricity which would take place tomorrow. All candidates are licensed electricity traders. NEC, which was the only exporter of electricity by the end of the last year, can also participate in the tender. The electricity traders association announced last week plans to appeal the state antitrust watchdog and the European Commission on market distortions triggered by the state power system operator in regard to contracted export volumes and price setting mechanisms in the supply chain. The energy market is formally liberalised as of July this year but the National Electricity Company retains full control on the deals signed with power generators this year. ESO informs that 400MW may be exported to Romania and Macedonia by the end of the next month.