EDF aims for number one
The EDF Group has set its sights on becoming the world's number one "electricity player" by 2020, aiming to have a diversified energy mix with 200 GWe of installed capacity.
The group's strategy was unveiled by chairman and CEO Henri Proglio to shareholders at a general meeting on 24 May. The plan calls for the company to increase its installed capacity to 200 GWe, with a diversified energy mix of 50% nuclear, 25% thermal and 25% hydroelectricity and other renewables. This would represent an increase of around 66 GWe from EDF's 2010 installed capacity of 133.9 GWe, including 74.3 GWe of nuclear (55%), 34.8 GWe thermal (18%), and 24.8 GWe hydro and other renewables (26%).
For nuclear, this would suggest that EdF is planning to increase its capacity by over 25 GWe in the next eight years, although it is not clear where that increase will come from. The company has a 1650 MWe EPR under construction at Flamanville in France, and interests in units under construction at Taishan in China. It also has plans to build up to four EPRs totalling some 6680 MWe at Hinkley Point and Sizewell C in the UK, although none of those units are yet under construction only three are pencilled in to start up before the end of 2020.
In addition to increasing its capacity, becoming a major global player in lower carbon energy, and taking top spot in the European renewables sector, the company also says it plans to increase its generation capacity outside France by 50%. In addition to its "strong European foothold" and expanding presence in China, Russia and the USA, the company says it is aiming to increase its presence in rapidly growing markets such as Poland, Brazil and Turkey.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News
