Our teams are working on it said an officer

Henri Proglio has not finished shaking the French nuclear industry. Yesterday, the pattern of EDF announced that electric company wanted to develop its own reactor of 1,000 megawatts (MW). "EDF wants to hire studies of development of a 1,000 MW reactor designed experience French 900 megawatt Park which has been a real success", said before the Committee on the economy of the Senate. Operator of nuclear plants, EDF is also, for years one of the few electricians to design itself some of its reactors.

Objective put forward yesterday by Henri Proglio: dispose "of a wide range to meet global needs and preparing the renewal of the French fleet under optimum conditions of safety and competitiveness in the very long term."

EDF said that several options are open to develop a tool of average power. One is to adopt the Atmea 1,100 MW reactor developed by Areva and its Japanese partner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. "Our teams are working on it", said an officer. The other, more unexpected, is aimed at developing a reactor with his Chinese ally CGNPC. "The idea is to develop a third generation reactor based on RPC-1000," said a close source from the folder.

This second generation Chinese product has been designed from the French Framatome 900 MW reactor, imported by China in the 1990s. Develop as next generation of develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop du develop the la would allow EDF and CGNPC approach of des du du At EDF, is preferred to speak of a "universal" reactor, without nationality.

The Atmea certified end of 2011

Henri Proglio intended to sign a memorandum of understanding to investigate this co-development with CGNPC during the visit to Paris by Chinese President, Hu Jintao, beginning of November. But the project has been blocked before by the Elysee. His signature would have probably made waves. Although François Roussely, former boss of EDF that Nicolas Sarkozy had assigned a mission to the nuclear sector, supports such a development, he would not miss of weakening Areva and its reactor Atmea.

As the patroness of the Group Anne Lauvergeon, it will be certified "in the fall of 2011" by the French nuclear safety authority. AREVA and GDF Suez including want to propose the Atmea in Jordan waiting for bid in January for its nuclear program. Reflection of EDF on the study of a potentially competing reactor at the point where Areva is concluded its capital increase probably played a role in the decision of the Elysee Palace.

EDF wants to not only work with the Chinese, even if it is with them that the pattern of production and engineering, Hervé Machenaud, maintains the closer relations. Henri Proglio also plans to cooperate with Russian Rosatom around its VVER reactors. Finally, he relies on the EPR of 1,600 MW of Areva, it wishes to optimize from the feedback of current sites.