Santander says sees 10 bln eur provisions in '09

MADRID, July 29 (Reuters) - Spanish bank Santander (SAN.MC) expects provisions to reach 10 billion euros ($14.15 billion) in 2009, Chief Executive Alfredo Saenz said on Wednesday.

"I agree that (first-half) provisions are high and I think at group level we could reach 10 billion in 2009," Saenz told a news conference on first-half results.

Earlier, Spain's biggest bank said provisions for problem loans more than doubled to 4.626 billion euros in the first half from a year ago. [ID:nLT38648] (Reporting by Judy MacInnes; Writing by Tracy Rucinski)