EDF hopes to seal EPR nuclear reactor deal in India in coming months

PARIS (Reuters) -French power group EDF hopes to seal a deal to equip six next-generation EPR nuclear reactors in India “in the coming months”, a group spokesperson said on Thursday.

The company confirmed a report by BFM television which emerged after French President Emmanuel Macron met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday to discuss bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

The French state-controlled power group last year had made a binding offer to help build six third-generation EPR nuclear reactors at the Jaitapur site in India’s Maharashtra region.

If confirmed, it would be one of the biggest-ever export deals for the French energy giant who is also gearing up to ensure the planned construction of several new EPR reactors at home.

EDF last year said the project, which would cover the annual consumption of 70 million Indian households while avoiding the emission of 80 million tons of CO2 per year would have an installed capacity of 9.6 gigawatts (GW).

It would generate up to 75 terawatt hours (TWh) per year, according to EDF.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, editing by Tassilo Hummel)