Eletrobras sees Santo Antônio partners getting final offer by April
(Adds details in paragraphs 3,8)
SAO PAULO, March 31 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-controlled power holding company Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras SA said it expects its partners in the Santo Antônio hydroelectric dam to get a binding purchase offer in April, Chief Executive Wilson Ferreira Junior said on Friday.
Eletrobras could sell its own stake in the project as well, depending on the terms of the offer, he said. A similar, albeit less advanced process, is underway for the even larger Belo Monte dam, according to the executive.
Eletrobras and partners invested 21 billion reais ($6.71 billion) to build Santo Antônio and 35 billion reais in the Belo Monte project.
In both cases, Eletrobras would consider exercising its tag along rights to divest the stakes, Ferreira said.
"They [other partners] are not pleased with the projects," Ferreira said, adding there is "a window of opportunity" to make divestments.
On the plan to sell six power distribution units in the North and Northeast regions, Ferreira acknowledged it is possible the process suffer delays, without elaborating.
Last July, the state-run company decided not to renew the operating licenses of the six units. Eletrobras said it plans to sell them this year or return the units to the federal government in 2018 after paying their debts. ($1 = 3.1285 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Luciano Costa, writing by Ana Mano; editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
