RPT-Westinghouse says it holds lead in Czech nuclear tender

PRAGUE, March 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. Westinghouse unit of Japan's Toshiba has been told it has taken the lead in a tender to expand the Czech Temelin nuclear power plant after the evaluation of initial bids, Westinghouse Chief Executive Daniel Roderick said on Monday.

It means Westinghouse is ahead of a consortium led by Russia's Atomstroyexport, the only other contender after Czech electricity producer CEZ, which runs the tender, disqualified France's Areva for not meeting tender conditions.

CEZ, which Roderick said had told Westinghouse it was ahead, will now hold further talks with both contenders to sweeten their bids. It plans to pick the winner later this year.

(Reporting by Jan Korselt; Writing by Lopatka; Editing by Michael Winfrey)

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Keywords: CZECH TEMELIN/