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French Nuclear Tour 2024: A delegation of French nuclear industry companies seeking new opportunities in Nordic countries

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From May 20th to May 23rd, 2024, a delegation of thirteen French nuclear industry companies will travel to Helsinki and Stockholm as part of a strategic mission organised by Business France, the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy, in partnership with GIFEN, the trade association of the French nuclear industry, and Nuclear Valley, the competitiveness cluster for the nuclear and defence industry in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne Franche-Comté regions with the support of Dassault Systems and EDF. This mission aims to foster new cooperation opportunities between France, Sweden, and Finland, three leading countries in the revival of nuclear energy in Europe.

Nuclear Cooperation

This initiative comes at a time when energy transition and combating climate change are crucial issues for the European Union. France, Sweden, and Finland, members of the European Nuclear Alliance, share a common vision of the importance of nuclear energy in achieving climate neutrality goals by 2050. The Franco-Swedish cooperation in this field, strengthened by a memorandum of understanding signed in December 2023, is testament to this.

France, Sweden, and Finland share a common culture of innovation and sustainable development, supported by cutting-edge research and development centres, globally renowned industrial companies, and dynamic startup ecosystems.

The French Nuclear Tour 2024

On May 20th, companies within the French delegation will have the opportunity to meet two key influencers in the energy sector in Finland: the energy company Fortum and the producer-operator TVO. They will also participate in a networking cocktail at the French Embassy in Helsinki, alongside French and Finnish nuclear industry professionals.

On May 21st, the delegation will attend the first day of the Nordic Nuclear Forum, including B2B sessions, gathering key players from the Nordic-Baltic region’s nuclear industry.

Arriving in Sweden on the evening of May 21st, May 22nd will be dedicated to site visits (Studsvik and Cyclife), where delegation members will engage in more in-depth discussions with technical teams. In the evening, a networking cocktail will be held at the French Residence in Stockholm.

May 23rd will focus on the French-Swedish Nuclear Forum organized by Business France, featuring major Swedish operators (Vattenfall, Fortum, and Uniper) and nuclear industry professionals. The afternoon will be dedicated to B2B meetings between delegation participants and numerous Swedish stakeholders present at the event.

This initiative will provide a privileged platform for French industries to explore business opportunities in these two booming Nordic nuclear markets.

Sweden and Finland, Lands of Opportunities

In Sweden, the power capacity targets set for the commissioning of new nuclear capacities by 2035 offer promising partnership prospects for French stakeholders. Two new reactors are expected to be built by 2035, with up to 10 by 2045. Additionally, the six reactors currently in operation are expected to undergo production optimisation and operational extension by 2060.

Committed to an ambitious carbon neutrality strategy by 2035, Finland, already equipped with two power plants and five nuclear reactors in operation including the first EPR commissioned in Europe, is considering enhancing its nuclear fleet, providing opportunities for French nuclear experts. All options are on the table: power reactors, SMRs, and extension of older reactors.

France’s expertise and Commitment

For over 50 years, the French nuclear industry has developed valuable expertise in nuclear energy production, fuel cycle management, and the manufacturing of specific equipment. This knowledge is recognized worldwide.

France nuclear ecosystem include 56 operational nuclear reactors, with the imminent commissioning of Flamanville-3; 120 French-technology reactors worldwide; and service contracts for nearly 250 reactors.

The French nuclear sector comprises over 3,200 companies, 220,000 employees, and a strong job creation dynamic, generating a turnover of €47.5 billion (GIFEN).

This mission reflects France’s ongoing commitment as a global leader in nuclear energy to contribute to the European and global energy transition while strengthening friendship and technical and industrial cooperation with its Swedish and Finnish partners.

The list of participants in the French Nuclear Tour :