Press releases pg. 186

The power-generation company CEZ, a.s. has appointed The Sumitomo Bank, Limited, Japan as the arranger of the syndicated security amounting to EURO 85 million in favor of the European Investment Bank (EIB). The security to be given for five years is a prerequisite for drawing the second tranche of the loan granted by EIB, amounting to EURO 85 million.

The State Office for Nuclear Safety (SONS) has granted on 31 st January 2000 to the power-generation company CEZ its permit to locate the construction of the central in-process store of spent nuclear fuel at Skalka. SONS had examined fitness of this locality with regard to nuclear safety and radiation protection and CEZ application with regard to particulars as stipulated by the "Atomic Act".

The Austrian Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs had examined at the beginning of this year supplies of electricity by CEZ to the Austrian market. The Federal Ministry is obligated under EIWOG Act (§ 13) to do so at each purchase of electricity from third countries.

The power-generation company CEZ was served last week the ruling of the Bureau for Protection of Economic Competition claiming that CEZ had misused its dominant position to the detriment of the mining company Mostecka Uhelna by reducing its purchases of lignite from that company due to the lower demand for electricity in the last year. For this breach of law, CEZ was penalized with a penalty amounting to CZK 10 million.