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Sarkozy focused on promoting France’s nuclear sales

President Nicolas Sarkozy is hoping to use France’s nuclear expertise as a platform to project the country’s political and economic influence around the world

Areva and EDF spat shows nuclear tensions FT.com By Peggy Hollinger: January 19 2010 There has always been some sniping between EDF and Areva, France’s two state-owned nuclear champions…..

Yet there was a degree of hostility in the latest round of guerrilla warfare that was surprising even to the most hardened observers of the two companies.

It has revealed the tensions that lie beneath the surface in France’s nuclear industry, which, if unchecked, could threaten the country’s ambitions to dominate the global atomic revival
Worse, the clash comes after the flagship of France’s nuclear expertise – the new-generation 1600MW EPR reactor – suffered a humiliating defeat to a cheaper South Korean rival for the $20bn contract for four reactors in Abu Dhabi……….

these tensions have to be resolved – and quickly. President Nicolas Sarkozy is hoping to use France’s nuclear expertise as a platform to project the country’s political and economic influence around the world. But that is proving difficult at a time when several of the country’s most important operators are at each other’s throats.This gives added urgency to the government commission charged with reviewing France’s nuclear industry. Led by Francois Roussely, the former head of EDF, the commission will look both at how France sells its skills abroad and what it offers to potential clients. The aim is to ensure a coherent approach to promoting France’s nuclear interests abroad.

FT.com / Companies / Utilities – Areva and EDF spat shows nuclear tensions

January 20, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France | antinuclear, AREVA, EDF, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin