About 110 Expressions of Interests (EoIs) were Friday received from various potential bidders by both the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) for 10 thermal power plants slated for sale under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs).

The managing director of NDPHC, James Olotu, and director general of BPE, Benjamin Dikki disclosed this in a press briefing in Abuja, where they stated this much were received from the two official submission centres at the corporate headquarters of NDPHC and BPE by the July 19, 5.00pm deadline that was initially set for all expected EoIs to be submitted.

Olotu in his opening remarks stated that the two official submission centres had received 106 and four EoIs respectively, thus, bringing the total number of EoIs to 110.

It is also understood that some EoIs that were received have indicated interests in more than one of the power plants slated for sale.

Olotu however disclosed that late January 2014 have been pegged as the realistic timeframe for the conclusion of the transaction, after which the preferred bidders would have emerged, adding that the assets will be handed over to them shortly after all industry agreements and documents must have been signed and monies paid for the plants.

"Regarding the 80 percent shareholding divestment in the power infrastructure that NDPHC is currently delivering, we have in various advertisements prior to now indicated that we have two centres where Expressions of Interests could be delivered and they are NDPHC headquarters and BPE headquarters.

"These centres were properly manned by members of security agents and exactly 5pm this evening, the two centres were closed for reception of EoIs; at the close of transactions, all EoIs were counted and registered and they were all brought down here, as at this moment, 106 packages were received in NDPHC, four other submissions were received at BPE, leading to a cumulative total of 110 submissions," Olotu said.