Areva looks to build six nuclear plants in Britain

WAR.WIRE

Areva looks to build six nuclear plants in Britain
PARIS, Jan 10 (AFP) Jan 10, 2008
Areva, the world's largest nuclear power group, on Thursday welcomed Britain's decision to build a new generation of such plants and said it wanted to build up to six of them.

Areva said in a statement it was "delighted with the decision, which will boost investment in (Britain's) nuclear power generation."

"It is our ambition to build at least four, and possibly six nuclear power plants in Britain," said Luc Oursel, head of Areva's nuclear reactor division.

In June last year, Areva submitted details of its third generation nuclear power plant to the British authorities for review.

Only last month, Areva chief executive Anne Lauvergeon said the company wanted to account for a third of all new nuclear reactors built worldwide between now and 2030,

"Between now and 2030 we believe there could be 100 to 300 (nuclear reactors built around the world)," she said. "We want a third of that business."

The British government on Thursday approved a new generation of nuclear power stations, describing evidence in support of the move as "compelling" while environmental groups attacked the decision as unwise and unnecessary.