UPDATE 1 - Bulgaria's TPP Maritsa Iztok 2 invites bids for fixing damages from fire

The contracts are worth an estimated total of 23.3 million levs ($13.0 million/11.9 million euro), documents filed with the public procurement agency showed.

The largest contract, worth an estimated 7.5 million levs, envisages supply of GRP components. Local companies Vetrorezina Balkan and GRP Tech were invited to table offers.

TPP Maritsa Iztok 2 also invited local Metalinvest Remko and Energoremont to bid for a 6.51 million levs deal for repairs of the absorber.

The other notable contract, worth 5.05 million levs, envisages supply of anti-abrasive and anti-corrosion coating. Local ZKI Volta and Vlaves Incorp were invited to submit offers.

TPP Maritsa Iztok 2 opted not to hold an open public procurement procedure for awarding the contract as it needs the materials urgently to fix damages caused by the fire, the power plant operator said.

The repairs have already been significantly delayed due to a formal investigation into the reasons for the fire, the company noted.

In June, a fire broke out at the plant's Unit 8 as one of the rubber absorber pads of the flue gas desulphurisation installation of the unit caught fire. The fire destroyed the smokestack of the unit, which was closed for planned annual maintenance at the time.

TPP Maritsa Iztok 2 has eight operating units with a total installed capacity of 1,620 MW.

(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)