Seven prospective investors have so far expressed interest in buying the Mintia thermal power plant (1.285GW, coal-fired), which closed at the end of July, according to official documents quoted by Profit.ro.

The power plant is the main asset of the Deva branch of the Hunedoara Energy Complex (CEH), the insolvent coal-fired energy producer fully controlled by the Romanian state through the Ministry of Energy.

A group of companies from South Korea, formed by AKEDA, Hyunday-Power Systems and BKB, is among the investors, the media reported after the group's representatives visited the site this September.

The Korean investors want to build a 1,000 MW combined cycle gas plant, a project which they estimate at about USD 1.3 bln, Siwoo Chung, CEO of BKB, said at a meeting with the journalists, according to Economica.net. He also said that at Mintia, there are also premises for a photovoltaic park of about 110 MW.

The assets of the Deva branch of CEH were estimated at a market value of EUR 101 mln and a liquidation value of over EUR 61 mln.

Among the companies interested in buying Mintia there is GSP Power (owned by businessman Gabriel Comanescu), the Romanian branch of Turboenergy Power of the Republic of Moldova, Romanian company (without activity, established in 2018) Optimus-Rredac (controlled by a natural person from the Republic of Moldova), as well as two "big" companies from South Korea and Israel - according to the statements of the minister of energy, Virgil Popescu.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Shutetrstock)