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• New dawn for UK nuclear power

  British Energy is to be sold to Electricité de France (EdF) for £12.5 billion ($23.1 billion). New nuclear reactors will be built at Sizewell and Hinkley Point while the governments proceeds from the sale should "more than" cover all BE's clean-up costs. Posted Sep 24 2008, 07:29 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: British Energy, EDF

• EdF responds to Constellation takeover

  BREAKING NEWS Electricité de France (EdF) has submitted a bid for Constellation Energy, rivalling a surprise takeover move made by MidAmerican Energy last week. EDF International already owned 9.5% of Constellation in line with earlier agreements between the companies. Now it said it "believes the MidAmerican transaction does not generate value creation expected by shareholders." The new bid was submitted with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and TPG Capital and included an element of immediate investment. EdF said in a release that the Constellation board had not yet responded to the offer. MidAmerican placed an offer valuing Constellation at $4.7 billion on 17 September and Constellation filed details of this with the US Securities and Exchange Commission today. EdF's statement did not make clear the value of its rival bid. Posted Sep 22 2008, 01:48 PM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, Constellation Energy

• Future EPRs to sport designer looks?

  EDF Energy has spoken to UK architects to gauge their interest in nuclear projects. Enter WNN' s competition to design the nuclear plant of the future. Posted Sep 19 2008, 12:11 PM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, EPR, UK

• EdF digs into Constellation stock

  As authorised by its board last month, Electricité de France (EdF) has increased its stake in US nuclear generator Constellation. The additional shares were purchased on the open market and took EdF's hoding to 9.51% of Constellation - slightly below the 9.9% authorised. Under US regulations, holding less than 10% means EdF will not have to undertake extra reporting duties or be constrained in its investments. The gradual increase in EdF's holding of Constellation stock is part agreements made by the two firms when beginning their Unistar initiative to deploy a fleet of at least four Areva EPR units in North America. EdF already operates all of France's 58 nuclear power reactors and intends to invest widely in new build abroad. Posted Sep 09 2008, 09:19 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, Constellation Energy

• Hutton wants deal soon between BE and EdF

  [Telegraph, 28 August] The UK's business secretary, John Hutton, has said that he wants a deal between British Energy (BE) and Electricité de France (EdF) to be agreed within the next two weeks. An offer by EdF was rejected by major BE shareholders in July for being too low. He said, "It's for the majority of shareholders to come to a view about how they want the future of that company to be addressed." Hutton added, "I really want to move on. I don't think we can go on very much longer without knowing how things are going to unfold." He said the deal - which he maintains is still "a good one" - remains the key to developing a new generation of nuclear power plants in the UK. However, Hutton said, "We will make sure there is enough sites and land available for other operators other than EdF to come into the UK because we will need that too if we are to really ramp up our investment in nuclear over the shortest time frame." Posted Aug 28 2008, 10:47 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, UK

• EdF may increase stake in Constellation

  The board of Electricité de France (EdF) has authorised management to increase the company's stake in US utility Constellation Energy from the current 4.97% to 9.9%, and this may be increased later. Posted Aug 14 2008, 08:32 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, Constellation Energy

• Chinese power plant plans sprint ahead

  As Electricité de France (EdF) finalises a joint venture with China Guangdong Nuclear Power Co enabling it to co-own and operate two nuclear reactors at Taishan, China National Nuclear Corp has announced work will start on another nuclear power station in Hainan by the end of 2009. Posted Aug 11 2008, 11:38 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, China Guangdong Nuclear Power Co, chinia

• BE in 'advanced discussions'

  British Energy (BE) has confirmed it is engaged in "advanced discussions" in response to a new round of media interest in the future of the firm. BE owns eight power reactors and some of the UK's most promising sites for new build. Electricité de France (EdF) is widely held to be the only remaining bidder, and is expected to seal a takeover for over £11 billion ($21 billion) soon. The UK government would be pleased to see a significant ownership share remain in Britain, which has fuelled speculation that Centrica is involved in talks with BE and EdF to take a share of around 25%. Posted Jul 25 2008, 10:41 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: British Energy, EDF

• Tricastin pauses for alarm

  Refuelling and maintenance work is to restart at Tricastin 4 this afternoon, following a radiation alarm yesterday morning. Workers in and around unit 4 were sent to the power plant's medical centre after alarms sounded to indicate an increase in radiation compared to normal levels. All 129 staff and contractors in and around the reactor at the time of the alarm were checked, with 39 presenting traces of radiation too low to be analysed and 61 presenting "weak traces" lower than 2.5% of the operational limit of 20mSv per person per year. Caroline Muller of owner-operator Electricité de France told World Nuclear News the alarm sounded after a filter on a ventilation duct failed, and that outage work is set to restart after its replacement this afternoon. Tricastin hosts four power reactors, as well as one operating a uranium enrichment plant and another under construction. The site has been a focus of attention after the recent spillage of 30 cubic metres of uranium-bearing solution at a facility associated with the enrichment activities. Posted Jul 24 2008, 09:26 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, Tricastin

• Safety authority asks for steam generator measures

  Electricité de France has been given until 30 September to implement preventative safety measures in steam generators at its French nuclear reactors including plugging tubes affected by an anomaly in anti-vibration measures Posted Jun 24 2008, 01:02 PM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, France, Steam Generators

• EdF allowed to continue concreting

  Concreting work is to recommence at Flamanville 3, after safety authorities accepted Electricité de France's plans to improve quality control. The company intends to train workers in the necessary safety culture and must report on progress for six months. Posted Jun 20 2008, 10:35 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, Flamanville

• EdF bid too low, says British Energy

  British Energy (BE) said that although it had received a range of bid offers, "none of the proposals put forward so far is above the share price at the close of business on Friday 6 June." BE's shares had closed at 735 pence ($14.37) per share. In a statement, the company stated that "in current circumstances such proposals do not represent value for shareholders as they fail to take proper account of the current forward price of electricity and the value of the company's sites and people in the context of nuclear new build." It added, that "the board will continue to progress the opportunities available through an offer for the company or other partnering arrangements which maximise the value of British Energy's participation in nuclear new build." Electricité de France (EdF) is the only company to have made a recent offer, although its bid, priced between 680p and 700p ($13.30-$13.70) per share, is subject to conditions. Germany's RWE made an indicative cash offer of almost 700p ($13.70) per share earlier in 2008, but has yet to come back with a firm bid. BE said that "it expects further discussion with interested parties." Posted Jun 10 2008, 12:20 PM by World Nuclear News Filed under: British Energy, EDF

• Modifications required to EdF reactors

  Electricite de France (EdF) has found a generic design defect on 14 of its nuclear power reactors. The utility must make repairs in order to "completely guarantee" safety in an earthquake. Posted May 30 2008, 10:21 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, France, earthquake

• Major French-US nuclear power link

  Electricite de France (EdF) and Exelon have signed a 5-year agreement to cooperate on managerial and technical matters, such as outage management, fuel operations and equipment reliability. It specifically excludes "any joint venture or new build effort." Posted May 20 2008, 11:45 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: EDF, Exelon

• EdF buys potential UK sites

  EdF Energy, the UK business of Electricité de France (EdF), has confirmed to World Nuclear News its purchase of land in the UK. The plots are located next to the existing nuclear power generation sites of Wylfa, on the Welsh island of Anglesey, and Hinkley Point in Somerset, England. The company recognised that existing nuclear sites - or land next to them - would be the most feasible for new nuclear plants in the time-constrained UK build program. EdF is also closely linked with possible bids for control of British Energy and its existing nuclear sites. A spokeswoman for BE told WNN that 9 May did not represent an 'official deadline' for bids on BE, and that news on the company's future would be announced through stock market mechanisms in due course. Nevertheless, observers expect an announcement imminently. Posted May 12 2008, 09:56 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: British Energy, EDF, UK