EOn seeks controlling stake in French EPR
08 July 2009
[Reuters, 7 July] Germany's EOn would like a majority stake in France's third new reactor. The company said that this would help open up the French power market, which is dominated by Electricité de France (EdF). EOn CEO Wulf Bernotat said, "A cooperation usually goes well if both partners are at an equal position, and since we are not the smallest utility operator we are not terribly keen to receive just a minority position in such a project." When asked whether EOn is considering a majority stake in the third EPR, Bernotat said, "That is a possibility or an operatorship ... It would be good for the competitive situation in France that a company like EOn could play a strong role in a third project." EdF is currently constructing an EPR at its Flamanville site and is planning another for its Penly site. In May, EdF said it was open to signing up other partners for its nuclear projects. Italy's Enel has a 12.5% stake in the Flamanville EPR, while GDF-Suez and Total will jointly own 33.3% of the Penly EPR. Bernotat said that EOn was discussing with EdF a possible cooperation in both Flamanville and Penly.