In other countries however the wait is patent

These are small events, daily management by days. But in nuclear power, they reflect a change in attitude contrasts with the usual business confidence in the recovery of the atom. Since mid-November, Areva has thus adjourned two projects. The Group has postponed the construction of new offices on its site of Lynchburg, in the United States. On-site, the Group has justified this decision by "the current economic climate", which "creates a strong uncertainty in all markets, including energy". He also shifted a uranium mine project to the Canada, whose operation was originally scheduled to begin in 2010.

Development projects

French champion of nuclear energy does not call into question its development projects. A Lynchburg, it plans to hire between 200 and 250 employees next l'année, after a strengthening of its staff of 350 people this year. Its strategy in the uranium, the group chaired by Anne Lauvergeon means always doubled its production by 2012, to 12,000 tonnes.

More broadly, he has just announced the construction of a new us plant of heavy components with Northrop Grumman for $ 360 million. He also took the beginning a symbolic participation in its Japanese supplier Japan Steel Works.

But the credit crunch may halt the revival of the atom. "The crisis may promote certain models little risky in terms of initial funds, which is the case of natural gas, and coal to a lesser extent," said Marc Benayoum, Chief partner in the firm of Council BCG. Nuclear application solid kidneys.

Formally, an EPR power plant costs EUR 3 billion. But according to the pattern of E.ON the German electricity giant, it actually takes between 5 and 6 billion euros for a reactor of third generation of 1,600 megawatts, is EUR 3 million per megawatt. By comparison, it takes an average investment of 750,000 euros per megawatt installed for a plant to gas and EUR 1.75 million per megawatt to a steam plant.

The issue is sensitive in the United States, where groups of energy are more fragile because of their regional dimension. And their shareholders, often private, are interested in periods of amortization short, little consistent with nuclear power, according to experts. Furthermore, players are waiting to see Barack Obama policy.

The prudence of Barack Obama

During his campaign, the Democratic candidate placed emphasis on the reduction of CO2 emissions, without excluding nuclear power, but by promoting renewable energy. His conservative rival, John McCain, was more determined: he wanted to build 45 reactors by 2030...

For Areva, is recognized in circumstances that development in the United States may take more time than expected. But it also wants to see a chance in the prudence of Barack Obama, for which the future of nuclear power cannot be addressed without address first the issue of the reprocessing of waste a trade on which the French group is leader. Kit Batten, an energy expert at the Center for American Progress, a "think tank" deemed close to the elected President, is also made in France this fall to learn about possible solutions on the end of cycle, welcomed.

t is in the group.

But the crisis also left traces on the other hand. It has certainly not prevented the Bulgaria confirm its order of 2 reactors for the plant at Belene. In other countries, however, the wait is patent. In South Africa, the decision on the project of construction of two power plants by 2016, then 10 other slices by 2025, has been postponed by electrician Eskom of September to end of December. But experts questioned the possibility of a real advance before the elections, in the spring of 2009. In the Canada, the State of Ontario no longer wants to choose the manufacturer of its future power plant here at 31 December, but on March 31, 2009. He refers to the "collapse" of stock markets, but also the degree of financial risk.