French nuclear technology company Areva has released its first quarter results showing a more than 13% growth in sales to €2,476 million, largely on the back of buoyant nuclear operations up 11.6%.
Nuclear operations posted sales of €1,660 million, up 11.5%, 40% of which came from favourable price effects, especially for uranium supply and enrichment services.
Contributions from Finland’s Olkiluoto 3, Ling Ao-Phase II in China and
Flamanville 3 in France boosted the Reactors and Services Division’s sales by 13.2%.
Sales of enrichment services were stable in France, where the group recently extended its supply contract with EdF for 2006, but rose by more than 43% compared with those of the first quarter 2005 outside France.
The change, says Areva, is due to differences in the timing of deliveries to utility customers and is not representative of the business. Nonetheless, the large volume effect combined with a positive average sales price translates into sales revenue growth of 39.6%, the company says, while sales for the Fuel Business Unit were down by 4.4%. In the United States volumes delivered were up sharply.
Looking ahead, Areva indicates that for the entire year 2006, sales for the Reactors and Services Division should post an increase compared with 2005.
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