French nuclear group Areva has broken off talks with Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) over the delayed Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor, TVO said on Thursday. An Areva-Siemens consortium and TVO are seeking billions of euros from one another over delays and cost overruns on the EPR reactor originally planned to start operating in 2009 but now expected to open in 2018. “We believed that we were close to solutions, but the French side broke off the talks,” TVO spokeswoman Anna Lehtiranta said. Areva said it was prepared to resume talks. “After a prolonged process of constructive negotiations with TVO, we were not able to conclude at this stage,” Areva said in a statement. “Nevertheless, from our side, the door remains open.” The dispute is blocking a planned takeover of Areva’s nuclear reactor division by another state-controlled French utility EDF, which does not does not want to take on any Olkiluoto-related liabilities.
Reuters 26th May 2016 read more »