ABU DHABI � Toshiba Corp plans to partner with Abu Dhabi National Energy Co., or Taqa, to make a joint bid for Areva�s power transmission and distribution business, two people familiar with the matter said.

Areva has chosen Japan’s Toshiba, General Electric and French partners Alstom and Schneider Electric as possible buyers for the unit in a deal sources have said could be worth more than ¥500 billion. Toshiba is in the final stages of talks with Abu Dhabi National Energy Co to make a joint bid for the unit, with final offers due to be submitted by November 9, the two people told Reuters. Toshiba is also considering tapping a recently created body backed by the Japanese government to secure funds for the deal, the two people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the negotiations are not public.

Meanwhile, Fluor Corp said on Tuesday it will engineer and manage the construction of a key part of the Bergermeer project, which is set to be the biggest European gas storage facility that offers third-party access.

Taqa said last month it had agreed with partners to invest €800 million to jointly develop the Dutch gas storage project with Russia’s Gazprom.   —