French giants EDF and Areva have signed agreements with Italian companies to help gear up for Italy’s budding nuclear programme. The agreements were signed in Paris on 9 April, at the Franco-Italian bilateral summit. EDF and Enel, and Areva have signed cooperation agreements with Ansaldo, while Areva has also teamed up with E&C firm Techint and a university consortium.
EDF, Enel and Ansaldo deal
EDF, Enel and Ansaldo Energia have signed an agreement to specify areas of cooperation in the development of four EPRS in Italy. “The cooperation agreement could be extended to international EPR projects,” according to an Enel statement.
Enel and EDF, which will act as investors and architect engineers in the projects, intend to use Ansaldo’s experience in the study, design and commissioning activities of nuclear systems and for the licensing process.
In addition, Ansaldo Energia will participate in the qualification and tender process carried out by Enel and EDF for the supply of equipment, installation and engineering systems packages.
The agreement has a minimum duration of five years. It sets out the scope for the future development of Ansaldo’s role in the nuclear power sector, and the construction of the Enel and EDF plants in Italy.
“This key agreement is a concrete first step towards maximising the involvement of the Italian industry in the construction of the nuclear power plants that Enel and EDF plan to build in Italy,” the Italian utility said in a statement.
The EDF-Enel joint venture had previously announced plans to build at least 6400MW of nuclear capacity in Italy over the next decade.
Areva’s agreements
At the same summit, Areva CEO Anne Lauvergeon, signed three nuclear energy cooperation agreements with both industrial and academic partners. Areva says the agreements are “tangible proof of its commitment to forging long-term partnerships with local industry and supporting the nuclear renaissance, not only in Italy but all over the world.”
The first agreement, signed with Giuseppe Zampini, CEO of Ansaldo Energia, will allow AREVA and Ansaldo to work together in Italy on the Enel-EDF project to build at least four EPR reactors, and also on other projects around the world. The partnership will cover cooperation in engineering, the supply of certain components, erection and commissioning tests.
The second agreement with the engineering and construction firm Techint, paves the way for the two companies to cooperate on future turnkey nuclear projects worldwide.
Finally, a training agreement was signed with CIRTEN, the inter-university consortium for nuclear research and technology. CIRTERN includes the universities of Rome La Sapienza, Pisa, Padua, Palermo, Polytechnic Milan and Polytechnic Turin. Under the terms of the agreement, Areva will contribute to the development of new industrial competencies in Italy by providing information material and conference speakers, and allowing students to visit its sites. The group will also offer internships, develop research projects and deliver professional training.
Lauvergeon says “These highly complementary agreements illustrate Areva’s desire to work closely with Italian industry to revive the nuclear industry.”
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