China: Framatome signs a joint development agreement and a major nuclear Fuel contract with its partner CNNC

Within the framework of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China in the company of a business delegation, Framatome’s CEO Bernard Fontana signed a protocol for the development of a global strategic cooperation with CNNC’s Chairman Wang Shoujun. This protocol is to set up basis for future strategy and long-term cooperation between the two companies.

Under the terms of this protocol, Framatome and CNNC plan notably on extending their cooperation in nuclear fuel design, engineering and services; enhancing their collaboration on digital instrumentation and control for nuclear power plants and increasing their cooperation in maintenance, safety and operation upgrades for in-service nuclear power plants. The cooperation protocol actions will be materialized through a joint working group between Framatome and CNNC.

In parallel, a major 10 year contract renewal was signed between Framatome and CNEIC (a subsidiary of CNNC) in the field of Fuel components. Framatome has been providing Fuel components to China for 20 years based on its supply chain in France and China.

According to Framatome’s CEO Bernard Fontana, “the cooperation protocol and the major nuclear Fuel contract renewal signed with our historical Chinese partner represent yet another evidence of the quality commercial and technological relations with CNNC. They confirm Framatome’s international development ambition in China, where 37 nuclear power plants are operating and 20 others are under construction.”