Shenzhen Energy Group is expected to attract the most attention among foreigners seeking to invest in some of the region's most profitable state-owned utilities, transport companies and food processing firms.
Under new regulations announced yesterday, overseas investors will be allowed to buy up to 25 per cent of the company, which has a total installed capacity of 3,080 megawatts.
Shenzhen Energy controls several power plants and also owns significant stakes in two A-share power firms.
A stake in Shenzhen Energy will allow foreign investors to gain access to 77 per cent of Shenzhen's power market.
The 25 per cent stake, however, is far less than the 49 per cent stake the city government said it would put up for sale in January.
Shenzhen Water (Group), also open to off-shore investment, supplies 1.67 million tonnes of water a day. It has assets of 2.2 billion yuan (about HK$2.06 billion) and 2,100 workers, with water plants being built in Donghu, Shatoujiao, Dayong, Bijiashan and Meilin.
Shenzhen Gas Group supplies gas to 400,000 households in the city. It has invested 10 billion yuan in the development stage of China's first liquefied natural gas terminal in Guangdong. It has 23 subsidiaries, with assets totalling 877 million yuan.