France mulling stake sale, rights issue for Areva-source

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PARIS, March 12 | Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:10pm GMT

PARIS, March 12 (Reuters) - The French government is studying the sale of Areva-owned CEPFi.PA stakes and a possible capital increase to finance the state-owned nuclear reactor group's investment plans, an economy ministry source said on Thursday.

"The most likely option is selling stakes, and a capital increase by the state if needed," the source told Reuters.

Last month, Areva unveiled a 2.7 billion euro ($3.45 billion) investment plan, which it said was approved by its majority shareholder, the French state.

Areva hold stakes in GDF Suez (GSZ.PA), Safran (SAF.PA) and Total (TOTF.PA), worth just under 1.2 billion euros in total, based on the stocks' closing prices on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Anna Willard, editing by Marcel Michelson)

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