EDF eyes renewables expansion outside Europe, CEO tells Les Echos

PARIS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - French state-controlled utility EDF (Paris: FR0010242511 - news) wants to expand into renewable energy outside Europe, Chief Executive Jean-Bernard Levy was quoted saying by financial daily Les Echos in an interview published on Tuesday.

Levy said barely 5 percent of EDF's assets were outside Europe, where there is little economic or demographic growth. He said EDF would remain in its key countries of France, Britain and Italy, but wanted to build up its international operations.

"By 2030, we want to have a significant presence in three to five countries outside Europe, notably in solar and wind," Levy was quoted as saying.

He added that this meant EDF would have to make choices, which was why it had placed all of its fossil fuel-based assets outside France under review.

He also said there was no plan to review EDF's contract with the British government to build two nuclear plants at Hinkley Point. "There is no need whatsoever to reopen negotiations," he said. (Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by David Holmes)