By Stephen Nakrosis 
 

Westinghouse Electric Co., Electricitie de France and France's CEA may work together to develop a small modular nuclear reactor, the three said Tuesday.

During the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, the groups "signed a framework agreement to explore potential cooperation on small modular reactor development," they said.

The three said they intend to combine their individual expertise to implement a successful design, as well as regulatory and design standardization.

"Worldwide demand for low carbon-electricity generation in the 300-400 MWe range is an important market segment that the parties strongly believe their unparalleled experience in nuclear fuel and reactor design, and operation can address," they said.

Small modular reactors are produced in factories and can be assembled on site to provide energy.

Westinghouse supplies nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world.

EDF Group is an integrated electricity company, whose activities include generation, transmission, distribution and energy trading.

CEA is a French public research organization with 20,000 employees and large research facilities.

--Write to Stephen Nakrosis at stephen.nakrosis@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 17, 2019 15:03 ET (19:03 GMT)