Two new nuclear plants to be built

French state-run company Areva has announced plans to build two nuclear power plants in China by 2013 in a $5 billion deal, Reuters reported. The agreement covers a total of 3.2 gigawatts of generating capacity in southern Guangdong province. Beijing appeared to have snubbed France in late 2006 when it awarded contracts for four reactors in coastal China to American-based Westinghouse Electric, now owned by Toshiba of Japan. Analysts say the new deal is a balancing act to appease France, since they were the earliest builders of reactors in China.