Areva continues Czech appeal
Areva has filed legal action against the Czech anti-monopoly office claiming that its decision not to allow the French reactor vendor to appeal against the disqualification of its bid to build two new units at the Temelin nuclear power plant was unlawful.
Bids to build the new Temelin units were submitted to Czech utility CEZ by three candidates - Areva; a consortium between Škoda JS, AtomStroyExport and OKB Gidropress; and Westinghouse. All three contenders submitted documentation supporting their respective bids in late June 2012. However, last October, CEZ informed Areva that its bid for its EPR design had been disqualified. Areva subsequently lodged a petition with the Czech anti-monopoly office, which ruled that CEZ was correct to dismiss the bid.
Areva has now requested a preliminary injunction at the Regional Court of Brno. The company has asked the court to review the office's actions. Areva maintains that the office's decisions do not comply with both Czech and European Union laws regarding public procurement procedures.
The company said that it "remains determined to protect its right in this matter" and asks that the court cancels the decision of the anti-monopoly office with the aim of reinstating Areva's bid in the tender process.
CEZ had expected to select the reactor supplier this month and to sign the construction contract by the end of 2013. However, the selection of the winning bid has been delayed following political turmoil after the resignation in June of Czech prime minister Petr Nečas.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News
