SUEZ and AREVA have signed an agreement giving SUEZ 5% ownership interest in the company that holds the Georges Besse II uranium enrichment plant.
The facility, built by AREVA at the Tricastin site in France’s Drôme department, is based on ultra centrifuge technology. SUEZ, through its Energy Services business line, is building the electrical installations, and supplying the fluid management systems and the HVAC and process cooling equipment of the new plant, which is scheduled for startup in 2009.
The agreement reflects the two groups’ intention to further develop their present industrial cooperation. With it, SUEZ will be able to secure a portion of its nuclear reactor supply needs in enriched uranium.
Georges Besse II is one of France’s largest current industrial investments, representing a total of close to EUR 3 billion.
Centrifugation enrichment technology offers the advantage of consuming 50 times less electricity than the existing gaseous diffusion process used in France[1] and does not need water for cooling.
AREVA
With manufacturing facilities in 43 countries and a sales network in more than 100 countries, AREVA offers customers reliable technological solutions for CO2-free power generation and electricity transmission and distribution. The group is the world leader in nuclear power and the only company to cover all industrial activities in this field. Its 65.000 employees are committed to continuous improvement on a daily basis, making sustainable development the focal point of the group’s industrial strategy. AREVA’s businesses help meet the 21st century’s greatest challenges: making energy available to all, protecting the planet, and acting responsibly towards future generations. http://www.areva.com
SUEZ
SUEZ, an international industrial and services Group, designs sustainable and innovative solutions in the management of public utilities as a partner of public authorities, businesses and individuals. The Group aims to answer essential needs in electricity, natural gas, energy services, water and waste management. SUEZ is listed on the Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris and Zurich stock exchanges and is represented in the major international indices: CAC 40, BEL 20, DJ STOXX 50, DJ EURO STOXX 50, Euronext 100, FTSE Eurotop 100, MSCI Europe and ASPI Eurozone. The Group employs 149,000 people worldwide and achieved revenues of €47.5 billion in 2007, 89% of which were generated in Europe and in North America.
http://www.suez.com
Disclaimer
This communication contains certain non-historic information that constitute statements of a prospective nature, and in particular forward-looking statements regarding events, trends, plans or future objectives. These statements are based on current opinions and hypotheses of management and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may imply a significant difference between the real results and those included either explicitly or implicitly in these statements (or previous results). The forward-looking statements are presented at the date of the communication, and SUEZ does not undertake to update or to revise them, whether as a result of new information, future events or for any other reason.
[1] Gaseous diffusion is the technology currently used by the AREVA group in the Eurodif plant.
Press contacts :
| SUEZ | AREVA | |
| France : +33(0)1 40 06 66 51 Belgium : +32 2 510 76 70 | +33(0)1 34 96 12 15 | |
Analyst contacts : | ||
| SUEZ +33(0)1 40 06 64 89 | AREVA +33(0)1 34 96 14 85/11 53 |