What's at stake for EDF in Czech nuclear tender?
By Benjamin Mallet
PARIS, April 30 (Reuters) -The stakes are high for France's nuclear power operator EDF, as it waits for the results of a tender to build up to four new reactors in the Czech Republic.
The French state-owned company said on Tuesday that it had submitted an updated bid for the project and expects a decision from Czech utility CEZ CEZP.PR this year.
WHY IS THIS PROJECT IMPORTANT FOR EDF?
If it wins, it would be the company's first overseas contract since it landed the Hinkley Point project in Britain in 2016, marking a major vote of confidence in the company.
At home, EDF has yet to complete its first EPR (European Pressurized Reactor) at Flamanville after a delay of 12 years and faces scepticism about its ability to execute plans for another six new reactors in the country.
"Everyone has an eye on Prague's decision," Vakis Ramany, EDF senior vice president in charge of international new nuclear development, said ahead of the bid submission.
WHY IS THE CZECH CONTRACT IMPORTANT FOR EUROPE?
A win is not just critical to the company but also to its strategy to lower costs and increase the efficiency of other nuclear reactors planned in France and across Europe.
Europe's leading nuclear power-plant builder aims to deliver one or two reactors a year on the continent from the 2030s, a pace not seen since France commissioned its fleet of nuclear stations in the 1980s and 1990s.
"This is the pace necessary for us to continue to consistently improve our performance from one project to the next, so that synergies can be maximised," said Ramany.
EDF is pushing for a major revival of nuclear power in Europe, which it says is essential to cut carbon emissions and strengthen energy security.
WHO ELSE IS BIDDING?
EDF is up against tough competition from Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), a subsidiary of Korean conglomerate KEPCO.
The Korean company beat EDF 15 years ago on a bid to build four reactors in the United Arab Emirates, after the French company entered the process late and with higher costs.
KHNP's bid likely has much lower costs, say industry participants.
The cost of a single EDF reactor is around 10 billion euros ($10.73 billion), according to French newspaper Les Echos.
EDF declined to comment on the estimate, as well as costs in its proposal. KHNP also declined to comment on costs.
The bill for EDF's Flamanville EPR is now at 13.2 billion euros ($14.14 billion), while the two Hinkley Point reactors are expected to cost up to 35 billion pounds ($43.93 billion) based on 2015 values.
U.S. company Westinghouse WAB.N has withdrawn from the tender.
WHAT ARE EDF'S CHANCES OF SUCCESS?
EDF should benefit from its proximity to the Czech Republic, and its proposal to involve Czech industry in the project, said Marc-Antoine Eyl-Mazzega, director of the Energy and Climate Center at the French Institute of International Relations.
However, EDF has never built an EPR1200, a simplified version of its classic EPR that it is proposing for the Czech tender, and still needs certification for the new model.
"It must pass this absolutely crucial stage so that the Czech authorities are convinced and have full confidence," said Eyl-Mazzega.
There are also still questions over whether Prague will be able to finance the project, he added, describing it as "a "colossal financial gamble".
($1 = 0.9321 euros)
($1 = 0.7967 pounds)
Reporting by Benjamin Mallet. Additional reporting by Joyce Lee in Seoul. Writing by Dominique Patton
Editing by Marguerita Choy and Louise Heavens
Mga Kaugnay na Asset
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
