At least three companies - Spanish energy group Iberdrola, French utility EDF and the German-based power generator RWE - are expected to submit bids for British Energy when the deadline for offers expires today.

Centrica, the owner of British Gas and Scottish Gas, may also enter the fray, but power industry sources said yesterday the energy group has, so far, been unable to find a partner to make a bid for the nuclear power generator.

Centrica is believed to have held talks with EDF about a combined bid.

Other potential candidates such as Germany's E.ON, French industrial group Suez and Swedish power firm Vattenfall are believed to have dropped out of the race.

The offers from Europe's big power companies are more likely to be documents with details about the financing of a possible transaction than final bids.

Iberdrola, the owner of ScottishPower, has spent most of the week putting the finishing touches on its offer for British Energy.

The Spanish newspaper La Razon said Iberdrola has been sounding out other firms, including Centrica, about putting together a joint bid.

Meanwhile, the Reuters news agency, citing industry sources, reported that Iberdrola would only bid for British Energy, which is 35% owned by the UK Government, as a minority partner in a consortium. Iberdrola and other power companies would not comment on the speculation concerning a move to take over British Energy.

Officials at state-controlled Electricité de France are understood to have met on Wednesday to give the go-ahead for a bid for British Energy.

EDF and Essen-based RWE are expected to put in a bid of 600p to 700p a share, valuing British Energy at more than £9bn.

City power industry analysts believe that EDF will eventually emerge as the preferred bidder because of its considerable expertise in operating nuclear plants in France.