19 November 2008 - EDF has announced that it is increasing its power production capacity in France by bringing two new oil fired turbines into operation at Vaires-sur-Marne with a total capacity of 370 MW.

The investment is part of a larger program to bring 6000 MW of additional production capacity into service during the 2006-2012 period. It is equivalent to the consumption demands of six million people and over two-third is peak production.

The Ile-de-France region therefore sees its production capacity boosted after a 125 MW combustion turbine was brought on line at Vitry-sur-Seine (Val de Marne) at the beginning of 2008 and two 600 MW oil fired production units were brought back into service, following renovation and modernization, at the Porcheville (Yvelines) thermal power station in the autumn of 2006 and the autumn of 2008.

A further 700 MW oil-fired production unit has just been brought back into service at the Aramon (Gard) thermal power station, following one at Cordemais (Loire-Atlantique) at the end of 2007. In total, 3100 MW of additional peak production capacity is now available to help secure electricity supplies.

Pierre Gadonneix, chairman and CEO of EDF, said: "After 10 years with no investment in new production resources, EDF is confirming the commitment it made in October 2005 to diversify production resources, both thermal and nuclear, with the construction of the new 1650 MW European pressurized reactor at Flamanville in Normandy, which should come into service in 2012."