Three companies were vying to build the desulphurisation equipment of units five and six of Maritsa-Iztok 2 Thermal Power Plant (TPP), sources close to the tender told Darik Radio.

The three bidders were Alstom Power of Italy, Austrian Energy & Environment of Austria and Rafako of Poland.
The offers of the three companies would be reviewed within the next two months, Darik quoted Todor Mihailov, CEO of Maritsa Iztok 2 TPP, as saying. An agreement with the preferred bidder was scheduled for signing by January next year at latest, he added.
Financing for the project will come from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (through a 34 million euro loan), the ISPA programme (36 million euros) and the plant (10 million euros).

The tender winner will have to build the desulphurisation installations within 30 months or the start of 2011.
At present, only Units seven and eight of the plant have operational desulphurisation equipment. Japanese Mitsui is currently building similar works at units one to four.