S & P lowers rating of Areva to “BB-” to “B +” – Challenges.fr

The rating agency Standard and Poor’s downgraded Tuesday the long-term credit rating by one notch Areva to “B +” after the announcement by the French nuclear group in anticipation of trouble a large loss in 2015.

“This deterioration follows the announcement made on December 17 by Areva that he expects further substantial losses in its activities reactors and services, and losses Further in its renewable activities being abandoned, “said S & amp; P, indicating that the outlook for the rating was under review

This uncertainty about the prospect.” reflects the fact that we can raise or lower the rating of Areva depending on the details of the financing plan supported by the State and 2015 results that will be announced in January or February 2016, “the statement said.

The note Short-term group, however, remains unchanged B.

The agency has already lowered two notches early March the long-term rating of the nuclear age group, then passing it from BB + to BB-. With a B + rating, investment in Areva is considered highly speculative.

With great difficulty, Areva has planned to assure its survival to transfer a participation of at least 51% of its activity reactors the French utility EDF, which should lead an operation beginning in 2016.

Considered strategic for France, its subsidiary Areva TA, responsible for production and maintenance of propulsion systems for nuclear buildings French, including the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, should also come under the fold of the French state, which already owns 86.5% of the nuclear group.

“If the support of State and funding measures are not clearly spelled out on the horizon of February 2016, we will likely lower the rating of one or more notches, “warns S & amp; P

Other factors. risk cited by the agency on the fate of Areva include approval by European authorities of the capital injection by the French State in Areva, the risk in case of the EPR reactor being built in Finland and analyzes launched by the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) on the construction of the Flamanville EPR (Manche).

(With AFP)