EDF weighs stake sales in North American, Brazilian renewables units

By Forrest Crellin

(Reuters) -France's EDF is weighing options to bring in capital to both its North American and Brazilian renewables businesses, said a company spokesperson on Wednesday, which could include stake sales of as much as 50%.

The comments followed a report by Bloomberg News citing people familiar with the matter as saying the state-owned utility was mulling a stake sale in its North American business that could fetch 2 billion euros ($2.32 billion).

"We are studying the possibility to open the capital of some of our subsidiaries to partners," said EDF Power Solutions spokesman Mathieu Baratier.

EDF's new CEO Bernard Fontana is currently seeking ways to bring in money to finance construction of six new nuclear reactors, and has said he was weighing possible asset sales.

Fontana previously told lawmakers that he is looking to prioritise domestic nuclear projects, as the country is looking to shore up its electricity production long-term which mainly comes from its ageing fleet of 57 nuclear reactors.

($1 = 0.8610 euros)

(Reporting by Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru and Forrest Crellin in Paris; Editing by Sahal Muhammed and Chizu Nomiyama )