PGE, EDF to study nuclear power for Poland

WARSAW Nov 18 (Reuters) - French giant EDF (EDF.PA) and leading Polish leading utility PGE PGEPa.WA agreed to run a feasibility study of Warsaw's plans to develop at least one nuclear plant by 2020, PGE said in a statement on Wednesday.

Poland is overwhelmingly reliant on Russia for its energy needs and diversification of supplies has been high on the agenda of consecutive governments.

Last year, Prime Minister Donald Tusk named Poland's largest utility PGE, which recently finalised the Europe's biggest IPO so far this year, to lead the project aimed at building two nuclear power plants of 3,000 megawatts each.

PGE said in the statement it had signed a memorandum with EDF -- which operates France's 58 nuclear reactors producing around 80 percent of the country's electricity demand -- and that the two firms would jointly handle the project.

"The memorandum signed on Nov.17 does not include an exclusivity clause for the two companies in regard to development of nuclear energy in Poland," the statement said.

Earlier this month, on a visit to Paris, Tusk signed a technical cooperation accord with France. Warsaw has also held talks with the United States, Canada and South Korea on the matter. (Writing by Gabriela Baczynska)