PARIS - The French government asked state-controlled power giant Electricite de France to join an all-French consortium comprising oil major Total and utility GDF Suez which is bidding for a nuclear contract in the United Arab Emirates, French business daily Les Echos reports Thursday, without citing sources.EDF initially didn't plan to be part of the consortium, but could now lead it, as a last and final offer is expected to be submitted to Abu Dhabi authorities by the end of December, Les Echos also reports.
The French consortium is competing for the contract with South Korea's Kepco and a U.S.-Japanese consortium of General Electric Co. (GE) and Hitachi (HIT).