Equatorial and Iberdrola in talks to buy Enel assets in Brazil, Valor reports (updated)
UPDATE 2-Equatorial and Iberdrola in talks to buy Enel assets in Brazil, Valor reports Updates July 6 story with fair comment from Iberdrola
SAO PAULO, July 6 (Reuters) - Brazilian power firm Equatorial EQTL3.SA and Spain's Iberdrola IBE.MC are in talks with Enel ENEI.MI to buy assets of the Italian firm in Brazil, Brazilian newspaper Valor Economico reported on Monday, citing sources.
Enel is in a spat over its power concession in Sao Paulo, with authorities considering revoking the approval due to a series of outages in recent years during heavy rains.
Equatorial and Iberdrola want Brazilian authorities to condition the concession renewal on a sale, and believe an agreement with Enel could boost the chances of such an outcome, Valor said.
Both companies have sent representatives to Rome to discuss the matter, according to the report.
The two companies also do not rule out buying all Enel assets in Brazil, Valor added.
Enel said it wants to renew the Sao Paulo concession and "denied speculation regarding negotiations involving a change of control" of the unit.
Neoenergia, Iberdrola's Brazilian unit, said it does not comment on market rumors.
Equatorial said it is "always attentive to opportunities" in its business areas "but does not comment on specific business or acquisition possibilities."
(Reporting by Andre Romani and Igor Sodre in Sao Paulo; Editing by Natalia Siniawski and Kylie Madry)
((Andre.Romani@thomsonreuters.com; 11 991314109;11 56447500;))
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