FACTBOX-Italy and France cooperate on nuclear power

Feb 24 (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy and
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi signed a nuclear
cooperation deal on Tuesday at a bilateral summit. [nLO637203]

Italian utility Enel (ENEI.MI) said it had agreed with
French power giant EDF (EDF.PA) to study the feasibility of
building four nuclear plants in Italy and to extend Enel's
involvement in France's nuclear programme.

The two companies will set up a 50-50 joint venture for the
feasibility study then, once Italy passes a new law authorising
construction of new plants -- suspended by a 1987 referendum --
they would set up holding companies to build four new plants.

Enel officials said the Italians would have a 60 percent
stake and EDF 40 percent in each holding company, with both
allowed to sell on shares to third parties as long as they
jointly keep a controlling stake of at least 51 percent.

The first new Italian plant is expected to be operative in
2020, said one Enel official.

HISTORY OF COOPERATION

Under a deal reached in Nov. 2007 between France and Italy,
Enel took a 12.5 percent stake in France's first European
Pressurized Reactor (EPR), or improved third generation plant,
which is being built in Flamanville, northwestern France.

It was also given the option to take part in five other new
generation reactors, including one authorised at Penly, again in
northwestern France.

As part of that previous accord, Enel on Tuesday also signed
an agreement expressing its interest in extending its
participation in France's nuclear programme, as part of a
previous accord with EDF, on building five more EPR plants.

An Enel spokeswoman said the deal signed in Rome meant Enel
would be exercising its option for 12.5 percent stake in Penly.

With the cost of building such a reactor running at about 4
billion euros, Enel's investment in Penly would be worth around
500 million euros.

EDF DOMINANCE AT HOME, EXPANSION ABROAD

France is Europe's nuclear energy champion with 58 nuclear
reactors running with a total capacity of 63,260 megawatts. It
aims to increase the number of its reactors to 60, with a large
part of the newly generated electricity to be sold to European
neighbours. The EPRs are also used by France to showcase its
nuclear power expertise to sell reactors abroad.

The following lists France's nuclear power plants connected
to the grid, and the planned ones.

RUNNING

Name region Capacity Start date Operator

(in megawatts)

Flamanville northwest 2 x 1,300 1985/1986 EDF

Paluel northwest 4 x 1,300 1984 EDF

Penly northwest 2 x 1,300 1990/1992 EDF

Gravelines northwest 6 x 900 1980/1985 EDF

Nogent northeast 2 x 1,300 1987/1988 EDF

Chooz northeast 2 x 1,450 1996/1997 EDF

Cattenom northeast 4 x 1,300 1986/1991 EDF

Fessenheim east 2 x 900 1977/1978 EDF

Bugey southeast 4 x 900 1978/1979 EDF

Saint-Alban southeast 2 x 1,300 1985/1986 EDF

Cruas southeast 4 x 900 1983/1984 EDF

Tricastin southeast 4 x 900 1980/1981 EDF

Golfech southwest 2 x 1,300 1990/1993 EDF

Blayais southwest 4 x 900 1981/1983 EDF

Civaux southwest 2 x 1,450 1997/1999 EDF

Belleville Centre 2 x 1,300 1987/1988 EDF

Dampierre Centre 4 x 900 1980/1981 EDF
Saint-Laurent Centre 2 x 900 1981 EDF

Chinon Centre 4 x 900 1982/83/87 EDF

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Flamanville northwest 1 x 1,600 2012 EDF

PLANNED

Penly northwest 1 x 1,600 2017 EDF
(Compiled by Muriel Boselli)