EDF, Edison, Ansaldo team up to develop nuclear power in Europe

MILAN (Reuters) - French power group EDF, its Italian arm Edison, Italy's Ansaldo Energia and its unit Ansaldo Nucleare are assessing whether they can cooperate on the development of nuclear energy in Europe, they said on Monday.

Under a letter of intent signed by the four, the cooperation would support EDF's new nuclear projects, specifically small modular reactors.

The agreement also aims to restart a debate on the role of atomic energy in Italy, which ceased using nuclear generation in 1987 after Italians voted against it in a referendum.

Interest in nuclear power has been revived as Europe seeks alternatives to Russian gas, as well as to reduce carbon emissions.

The agreement "will reinforce the European supply chain of our technologies in a context where many European countries are planning for new nuclear programmes," Vakis Ramany, EDF's Senior Vice President, said.

(Reporting by Federico Maccioni, editing by Barbara Lewis)