Press releases

December 18, 2008

India chooses AREVA as its first foreign uranium supplier

AREVA yesterday signed the first foreign uranium supply contract since the reopening in September of nuclear businesses between India and the rest of the world. This contract paves the way for a Franco-Indian partnership in the field of civil nuclear electricity generation.

The agreement, signed at a ceremony held in Mumbai, includes a commitment from AREVA to the Indian Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to supply 300 tons of uranium to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) for its reactors under International Energy Atomic Agency control (IAEA). The contract comes notably in the wake of the bilateral agreement made at the France-India summit of September 30, for cooperation in developing peaceful nuclear energy applications.

The much-needed fuel will supplement the shortages in domestic reserves for use in India's nuclear plant fleet, currently operating at under full capacity. These 300 tons from AREVA represent more than a third of NPCIL total installed capacity. With its considerable energy needs, India plans to make quick strides in increasing the share of nuclear electricity in its energy mix. By 2020, the country's installed nuclear plant capacity could grow exponentially from 3 to 40 Gigawatts, taking nuclear from 3 to 20 per cent of all electricity generated.

Commenting on the new contract, Arthur de Montalembert, President of AREVA India, said: "AREVA has won India's trust for this first ever foreign fuel supply agreement signed since the September 2008 agreement," describing it as "a turning point in the deployment of its ambitious energy program; India has taken the considered decision to give nuclear prominence in its energy mix as a means of meeting its energy needs. And AREVA is ready to put its expertise at the service of this challenge."

Contacts

AREVA press office:
Fleur Floquet-Daubigeon / Julien Duperray / Pauline Briand
Tel: +33 1 34 96 12 15 - Fax: +33 1 34 96 16 54
press@areva.com

AREVA Investors Relations:
Isabelle Coupey: Tel : +33 1 34 96 14 85
isabelle.coupey@areva.com
Manuel Lachaux: Tel: +33 1 34 96 11 53
manuel.lachaux@areva.com