DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

PARIS -(Dow Jones)- French nuclear group Areva SA (ARVCY, CEI.FR) said Wednesday it has signed an agreement to sell its power transmission and distribution business to industrial companies Alstom SA (ALO.FR) and Schneider Electric SA (SU.FR).

Late last year, Areva said it was entering into exclusive talks with Alstom and Schneider, opting for an all-French buyer for its T&D unit over international competitors General Electric Co. (GE) and Toshiba Corp. (TOSYY, 6502.TO).

"The Areva group today signed an agreement setting out the legal and financial terms and conditions for the disposal of its transmission and distribution business," state-controlled Areva said in a joint statement.

Alstom and Schneider plan to split the T&D assets between them, with Alstom taking the transmission part of the business and Schneider acquiring the distribution operations.

Alstom and Schneider entered exclusive talks last year after offering to pay EUR4.09 billion for the unit, including assumed debt.

-By Adam Mitchell, Dow Jones Newswires; +33 1 40171756; adam.mitchell@dowjones.com

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