The government is looking for an energy company to market the electricity generated by Doel 4 and Tihange 3. Only major players are eligible for the tender. The auction may attract new foreign groups to the Belgian energy market, De Tijd wrote on Friday.
Electrabel remains the technical operator of the nuclear power plants, but is not allowed to sell the electricity in the future. A new party is being sought for this.
Documents for the tender that De Tijd was able to view show that this is a huge deal. The two power stations generate an estimated 14 terawatt hours of electricity per year, almost 18 percent of current Belgian electricity production. The winner will also have a say in the commercial management of the 2 gigawatts of production capacity.
Candidates must meet certain financial ratings, operate at least two large nuclear or fossil power plants (of more than 350 megawatts) and have a portfolio of at least 1,000 megawatts.