Five companies have submitted requests for evaluation of their compliance with the tender criteria for full-scale privatisation of the district heating plant in the country's third largest city of Varna . The five potential bidders are: Czech Electricity Company (CEZ), E.ON ( Germany ), EVN ( Austria ), Dalkia International (France), and Ener-G PLC (UK). Seven other companies have purchased tender documents but are not willing to continue the race. The next deadlines for purchase of information memorandums and submission of binding bids expire on September 25 and October 23, respectively. CEZ, EVN and Dalkia are also registered in the final tender round for privatisation of the district heating company in the country's second largest city of Plovdiv . CEZ, E.ON and Dalkia are separately mentioned in the list of 17 firms that have purchased tender documents for the district heating and power production plant in the country's fifth largest city of Ruse .

The tender rules for the heating company in Varna stipulate that candidates should prove sales of heating power of 300,000 MWh or electricity supply of 150,000 MWh over the last 3 years. They should also have revenues from core activities of at least BGN 16mn (EUR 8.2mn) in the last 3 financial years as well as long-term ratings of at least BB+ on the scales of S&P and Fitch or Ba1 on the scale of Moody's.