Areva has signed two agreements with Indian companies in preparation for the project to construct six EPR units at Jaitapur in Maharashtra state. The agreements were signed during a visit to Paris by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Anomalies have been identified in the composition of the steel in certain parts of the reactor vessel of the EPR under construction at Flamanville, Areva has informed the French nuclear regulator. Further tests are planned to show the extent and effect of the areas of the vessel showing higher carbon concentrations.

Areva has delivered a replacement reactor vessel head for unit 3 of Electrabel's Tihange nuclear power plant in Belgium. The company has also been awarded a contract to supply a new vessel head to a US utility.

The US Department of Commerce is querying the status of a minority of US imports of French low-enriched uranium in 2013-2014 under antidumping legislation.

The UK is one of the two key markets for Areva, together with China, as it is "where the group sees growth", the French engineering company's UK chief executive officer Robert Davies told World Nuclear News in an interview yesterday.

Areva has a two-part strategy aimed at refocusing on its core business of nuclear power, aiming to make savings of about €1 billion ($1.1 billion) over the next few years, following a record loss in 2014 of €4.83 billion ($5.38 billion).

A joint venture between France's Areva and China's Central Nuclear Control System Engineering Co has officially opened in Beijing. The new company - Areva Nuclear Safety Instrument Control Engineering Co (CASI) - will supply digital control systems for nuclear power plants.

Unit 2 of the four-unit Tricastin nuclear power plant in southern France has been given approval by the French nuclear regulator to operate for a further ten years.

Areva and Hungarian engineering company Evopro have signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize global cooperation in nuclear and renewable energy.

The French nuclear safety regulator has specified additional post-Fukushima safety measures to be taken at the country's fuel cycle and research facilities.

During a visit to China by French prime minister Manuel Valls, French and Chinese nuclear energy companies signed agreements to expand their respective cooperation.

UK-headquartered engineer Rolls-Royce is to supply boron measurement systems for the entire fleet of 900 MWe nuclear reactors in France owned and operated by EDF Group.