November 28, 2023: EDF has announced the signing of several cooperation agreements involving Canadian, Czech, French and Indian, partners, during the inaugural day of the World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) 2023 in Paris. This year’s edition of the WNE aims to underscore the importance for the nuclear industry to mobilise the industrial and human capacity needed for nuclear technology to contribute to the fight against climate change. In line with its “raison d’être”, EDF Group is using its participation to highlight its active engagement in the promotion of its unique nuclear reactor technology portfolio, services, and know-how, further demonstrating its capabilities throughout the whole nuclear lifecycle from engineering, construction, operation & maintenance, training, and skills development to decommissioning and waste management activities.
This edition provides EDF with an opportunity to share its vision for the role of nuclear energy as the future of the European and global energy mix rapidly evolves. As awareness of climate urgency rises, and as energy independence and reindustrialization play a larger role in defining the future of the world’s energy needs, the Group also reiterates its ambition to pursue and accelerate nuclear energy development in France, in Europe and abroad through long-term cross-country partnerships for mutual benefits and socio-economic value creation.
On the inaugural day of the WNE 2023, several industrial cooperation agreements were signed in the presence of EDF Chairman and CEO Luc Rémont, with the aim to secure the involvement of local supply chains and industries for the successful delivery of future EPR-technology-based and NUWARD SMR projects in Europe and worldwide.
- Canadian-French cooperation: EDF and Ontario Power Group (OPG) have signed a Letter of Interest to engage in a joint evaluation for the potential development of EPR technology in Ontario and other parts of Canada. This agreement is testimony of EDF’s commitment to strengthening Canadian-French industrial ties and knowledge sharing, as well as recognition of EPR technology as a reliable and adaptable technology, capable of meeting the needs of a diverse variety of partners around the globe. Further underscoring the large potential for cooperation for new nuclear development between the two countries, a Canadian-French Supply Chain Workshop will be held on November 29 at the WNE under the leadership of EDF, with the participation of more than twenty key Canadian and French industrial players, including AECON, Assystem, Bouygues Travaux Publics, Bruce Power, BWXT, Framatome, GE Vernova and OPG.
- Czech-French cooperation: Testimony of EDF’s ambition to be a leader of the European nuclear renaissance, the Group has been strongly committed to the ongoing tender process for the Czech new nuclear programme with its EPR1200 technology. In line with its longstanding efforts to further enhance its engagement with the Czech industry, the Group has signed several cooperation agreements with Czech companies active in the nuclear field for the delivery of the Dukovany 5 nuclear power plant. Cooperation agreements were signed with the Czech Power Industry Alliance (CPIA), ADAMEC, EnerSys, ISH Pumps, KLIKA BP, LDM, and Nopo Engineering. These agreements further underscore EDF’s ambition to secure maximal local value and investment for the delivery of its potential project in the Czech Republic.
- Indo-French cooperation: In the perspective of the decision for the six EPR-unit Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant project in the State of Maharashtra, India, and in support of the “Make in India” initiative promoted by the Indian government, EDF continues to build partnerships with Indian suppliers as part of its sound localisation strategy. With this objective, EDF has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with BHEL, a leading Indian Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) and the largest Power Sector EPC Company in India to collaborate with an intent to maximize the local content of the Jaitapur project. EDF and BHEL will also explore larger collaboration for the EPRs and for NUWARD SMR.
- International cooperation agreement in the nuclear sector between EDF and Egis: Through its international dimension and its multiple engineering expertise, Egis will further support EDF's localisation approach for its international projects. Egis is already engaged with EDF in England (Hinkley Point C) and in Poland (agreement signed with Egis Poland in 2021) and envisages to set up with EDF and other partners an engineering platform in India. This agreement extends to the nuclear sector the existing agreement between EDF and Egis for the activities of EDF and Egis in the renewables sector.
Luc Rémont, EDF Chairman and CEO said: “The signing of these industrial cooperation agreements clearly demonstrates our ambition to secure robust partnerships with local supply chains for EPR-technology-based projects, as well as for NUWARD SMR. We envision the same approach in any country where we promote our technologies with the profound objective to set-up a community of qualified European and worldwide suppliers and I look forward to seeing these cooperations materializing for the successful delivery of our nuclear newbuild worldwide.”