French utility and nuclear power specialist Electricite de France SA (1024251.FR) plans to build more power plants in Asia, with main focus on China, Laos and Vietnam, a company executive said Thursday.
"The strategy of EDF is to have more power generation in China, Vietnam , Laos and other hydro power plants in the region," Jean-Christophe Philbe, director for EDF South Asia Division told Dow Jones Newswires.
The company plans to develop a coal-fired power plant in China with a generating capacity of 1,000 megawatts, said Philbe, declining to give more details.
At present, EDF jointly operates coal-fired power plants at two locations in China which have a combined capacity of 3,700 MW.
The company is beginning to build two nuclear power generating units in China together with China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co. in Guangdong province. The units, with a capacity of 1,600 MW each, are scheduled to start operations in 2012, said Philbe.
Philbe said EDF together with its partners, Japan's Sumitomo Corp. and Guodian, a chinese power producer, will submit a bid to build 1,200-MW coal-fired power plant in Vietnam.
EDF is also looking for a possibility to build hydropower plants in Laos and is also exploring opportunities to build nuclear stations in Vietnam and Thailand, said Philbe.