//
Interest in the company - which is the UK's largest supplier of electricity - has heightened after the government gave its backing to a new generation of nuclear power stations to provide Britain's energy needs in the future.
Among the potential suitors for the BE are Franco-Belgian utility Suez, RWE of Germany and the Spanish company Iberdrola which also owns Scottish Power. Britain's own Centrica is also in the running.
In a statement, BE said it has received "a range of proposals" from companies prepared to make a full offer for it.
The only company so far to put a firm cash offer on the table is EDF, Europe's largest power company.
British Energy claims to have the lowest carbon emissions of the major electricity generators in the country.
People interested in taking advantage of the potentially lucrative opportunities in the energy market can receive stock market training by attending a free trading course.
