November 29 (SeeNews) - CEZ Distribution Bulgaria [BUL:3CZ], majority owned by Czech power utility group CEZ, said on Wednesday its consolidated net profit rose to 28.7 million levs ($17.3 million/14.7 million euro) in the first nine months of 2017 from 17.6 million levs in the prior-year period.
Operating revenue rose to 318.1 million levs in the January-September period from 289.5 million levs the year before, CEZ Distribution Bulgaria said in a bourse filing.
The operating expenses of the electricity distribution company increased to 285.6 million levs in the nine months ended September 30 from 269.5 million levs in the corresponding period of last year.
Earlier this month, the CEZ Group said on Tuesday it was still in talks with potential buyers over the sale of its assets in Bulgaria.
In October, the CEZ Group said it has reached an agreement to sell its Varna thermal power plant (TPP) in Bulgaria to Bulgarian-based logistics company SIGDA for an undisclosed sum.
In August, the CEZ Group said it had received binding bids for its assets in Bulgaria from several candidates. It did not name the candidates.
The assets of CEZ Group in Bulgaria comprise CEZ Distribution Bulgaria, the public supplier of electricity and a licensed trader CEZ Electro Bulgaria, licensed electricity trader CEZ Trade Bulgaria and Varna thermal power plant. The operations of those companies are managed and coordinated by CEZ Bulgaria.
(1 euro=1.95583 levs)