LONDON, April 24 (RIA Novosti) - Russian electricity monopoly Unified Energy System is negotiating the sale of large stakes in its generating companies with several European energy firms, the head of UES said Monday.

Anatoly Chubais, speaking on the sidelines of the Russian Economic Forum in London, said talks were being held as part of preparations for additional share issues in two of the generating companies formed through the restructuring of the power sector.

Chubais said the European companies had shown "major interest in this process, and this only encourages us, since we will receive major investment."

UES generating assets have been consolidated into interregional companies of two types: generating companies for the wholesale market, and territorial generating companies.

The seven wholesale generating companies comprise between four and six power plants situated in different regions of the country, to prevent possible monopoly abuse. Six WGCs contain major thermal power plants, whereas one is hydroelectric.

The 14 territorial generating companies contain power plants not within WGCs, located in neighboring districts. These are predominantly combined heat and power plants.