This brings up to 42 the total number of companies battling for to take over some essential parts of ECG's operations.

Below are a section of the companies who have expressed interest:

List of 18 Ghanaian companies

Power Meter Technics (Pty) Ltd & Pricoil Ghana Limited, China Railway No.5, Engineering Group Co. Ltd, Wilkins Engineering. Limited, ER- STOVS COMPANY LIMITED, TG Energy Solution Ghana Limited, En­clave Power Company, BXC GHANA LIMITED, HECDIG Limited, MBH

POWER AND GAS LTD, MC Jones Energy, Fallow Ghana Ltd, Wellfind Limited, Reroy Power Limited, IRIS, Infrared Imaging Solutions, Belstar Capital Ltd, in collaboration with CEC Africa Investments Ltd, The Quantum Group Ltd, Rabest Company Limited and Amandi/STL.

USA (4 companies)

Six companies from the United States of America, the country provid­ing close to $500 million to restructure ECG, have also expressed interest.

They are Thelios Power/Orgone Development LLC, APSM, Pike Cor­poration & UC Synergetic Informa­tion-Thinking Engineering Solutions, CMF Global. Inc, New Generation Power and Latitude Capital Manage­ment L.P.

Some analysts and civil society groups have expressed concern that because the USA is providing funding for restructuring ECG, companies from that country stand a better chance of winning the concession bid.

However, MiDA officials have dis­counted this assertion, adding that only the best company can win the concession.

South Africa (3 companies)

Three companies from South Africa; namely, Total Utilities Man­agement Services, Mat Tecknologies Consultancy Limited/Siri Engineering (PTY) Ltd and Pricoil Ghana Limited, with office in Ghana, have also ex­pressed interest in the ECG conces­sion.

United Kingdom (2 companies)

Actis GP LLP-United Kingdom and CDC Group pic from the United Kingdom have also shown interest.

France (2 companies)

Interest was received from-two companies from France EDF International Networks and Eranove Group.

Lebanon (2 companies)

Butec Utility Services-Lebanon and Matelec S.A.L-Lebanon also ap­plied for the concession.

Interest from 10 other countries

Expression of interest was received from 10 other countries. They include

TataPower Company Limited Manila Electric Company/ MERI ALCO, Philippines; AFRASIA

Enerji MÜh.ve Dan. Tic. A.S

Manitoba Hydro Intei Canada; ENG1E Limited, Uri Emirates; ESB International,

NIP Global Ltd, Israel; African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), Nigeria; and Metre Electricity Authority, (MEA) land.

O&M Solutions expressed interest but did not provide their address