Reports said the recent sharp fall in electricity prices meant Centrica shareholders were worried the firm could “overpay” for the stake.
Last summer, the two companies reached a non-binding agreement that Centrica would buy the holding for £3.1bn – placing the same value on British Energy as was paid by French-owned EDF for the whole company earlier in the year.
It is understood that talks between EDF and Centrica are continuing.
British Energy supplies the UK with about one sixth of its electricity needs.
