OREANDA-NEWS. AREVA’s Board of Directors met yesterday under the chairmanship of Philippe Varin to approve the financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2014. Concerning the financial results,

Philippe Varin, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said:

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I welcome the efforts made by the AREVA group to draw up a detailed diagnosis of the situation and undertake a transformation plan commensurate with the stakes involved. AREVA’s know-how is recognized all over the world, and France needs a strong nuclear industry. The group must now follow the road to recovery by making substantial sacrifices. The Board of Directors will be demanding as to the implementation of this plan. I wish to express my confidence in the ability of the executive management team and of all AREVA employees to turn the group around.”

Philippe Knoche, Chief Executive Officer, made the following statement:

“The scale of the net loss for 2014 illustrates the twofold challenge confronting AREVA: continuing stagnation of the nuclear operations, lack of competitiveness and difficulties in managing the risks inherent in large projects. The group understands how serious this situation is. A comprehensive strategic review of operations was undertaken beginning in November 2014 and is being carried out without compromise. As a result, AREVA is now able to announce a solid transformation plan that sets a challenging but economically realistic course for our teams.

First, AREVA will refocus on its core business: mastery of key nuclear processes essential to operators around the globe. This strategic redeployment will lead to the revision of certain goals, whether in the management of new reactor projects or in renewable energies. AREVA's objective is to achieve excellence as a high value-added supplier of products and services.

Secondly, AREVA, whose resources had been marshaled to support a spurt of growth in nuclear power, must now adapt to new market realities and become competitive once again. The group’s most urgent task is recovery and securing its future by immediately launching a far-reaching competitiveness plan founded on organizational simplification, quality of operations, and a completely revamped approach to managing risk in large projects.

Last but not least, AREVA must ensure sustainable financing for its activities. A financing plan will be clarified before publication of the half-year financial statements.

The commitment of AREVA’s employees, which has always been absolute in serving the group’s customers, is more necessary than ever today, for it will be the key to success.

The challenge for all of us today is to implement the transformation plan in all its aspects, to make AREVA, in the French nuclear industry, a refocused, simplified, competitive group in a position of recovery."