Russia, France Approve $400 Mil Deal to Make Nuclear Turbines

June 30, 2007 (LPAC) Russia and France have agreed on a deal to jointly produce turbines for nuclear power plants. Russia's Atomenergomash and France's Alstom signed documents yesterday to establish a $400-million joint venture to manufacture half-speed turbines for nuclear power plants in Russia and abroad.

According to details reported in RIA Novosti , June 29-30, the companies reached a deal in April, which gives Russia's state controlled nuclear power corporation a 51-percent share in the venture, which will operate on the platform of the machine-building firm ZIO Podolsk in the Moscow Region. The future joint venture will manufacture the entire conventional array of equipment used in nuclear power plants, drawing on Alstom's "Arabelle" half-speed turbine technology. Alstom will transfer technology to the joint venture company, namely for the manufacture of its "Arabelle" steam turbine and generator.

The joint venture, expected to reach full capacity within three years, will benefit from the best technology available for conventional equipment for its nuclear power plants, and will have exclusive access to the fast-growing Russian nuclear power plant market. The joint venture will cover at least half of Russia's demand for nuclear power plant turbines. Alstom is the world leader in conventional nuclear facilities, with 175 plants either already in service, or in the course of being built, in twelve countries around the world, including France, South Africa, China, South Korea, and Sweden.