Poland: AREVA engages actively in the energy debate

Over the last weeks, AREVA has actively participated in a series of high-profile conferences and events addressing the future Polish energy mix and the country’s needs to diversify its energy sources to support its economic growth and ensure its security of supply as well as its energy independence. These events were the opportunity for AREVA to reiterate its commitment to proactively participating in the Polish energy program.

After attending the European Economic Congress, held in the industrial city of Katowice (South of Poland), in Mid-May, AREVA participated in the 2^nd Nuclear Energy Congress and in the Congress of Innovative Economy respectively organized by the Warsaw University of Technology (Politechnika Warszawska - PW) and the Polish Chamber of the Commerce. Along with high-ranking participants, including the 2009-2012 President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, the Polish ministers of the Economy and of the Environment and the Ambassadors of Japan, France and the USA in Poland, AREVA representatives joined nuclear energy experts, utilities – notably PGE and EDF - safety authorities as well as scientific institutions such as the French CEA (Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique) to discuss Poland’s energy options.

AREVA shared its expertise and unique experience on nuclear new build safety thanks to its EPR™ reactor, which is the only advanced reactor certified and under construction in Europe – in France and Finland – as well as in China.

It was also the opportunity for the group to demonstrate how its pluri-regional localization strategy benefits local economies and fosters country economic and industrial growth. Increasingly active in Poland, AREVA has already organized in the country three Supplier Days in less than a year - with the latest being co-organised with the group’s historical partner EDF in April – in order to identify local suppliers in support of the potential EPR™ fleet deployment in Poland and beyond.

AREVA is also actively involved in building collaborative ties in research and education with Polish universities. Since 2009, the company has organized several training sessions for the Warsaw University of Technology’s professors, scientists and students at the AREVA University. In July 2011, AREVA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University under which the group delivered, last week, its first training sessions as part of the agreement.

This series of events started early May, when AREVA, at the request of the organizers, presented in Warsaw a model of the Olkiluoto 3 EPR™ nuclear power plant, in particular at the immensely popular ‘Scientific Picnic’ - Europe’s largest one day outdoor science event attracting up to 100,000 visitors. Visitors got a behind-the-scenes look at the layout and the operational aspects of the EPR™ plant.

“It was a great pleasure for AREVA to be a part of the most important events devoted to the energy sector in Poland. These events are the opportunity to showcase our advanced reactor technology, while gaining insight into the needs and the structure of the local market with which we are already closely cooperating and will further work with during the next stages of the first Polish nuclear power plant project”, said Bruno Blotas, AREVA’s Business Development Director for Poland.