EDF days from closing Constellation deal-company

By Nina Sovich

PARIS, Nov 5 (Reuters) - French nuclear giant EDF (EDF.PA) is close to completing its $4.5 billion acquisition of a 50 percent stake in the nuclear assets of Constellation Energy Group Inc (CEG.N), executives told investors.

Outgoing chairman and chief executive Pierre Gadonneix told shareholders he expected the acquisition to contribute positively to operating profit in 2010.

Chief Financial Officer Daniel Camus said the deal would close in a "matter of days."

Gadonneix said a flood of new power plants to be built in China, Britain, Italy and the United States presented a rare opportunity for the company.

In addition to acquisitions, EDF is hinging its current growth strategy on the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR), a new generation of nuclear power plant it is developing with France's Areva (CEPFi.PA).

The EPR came under fire this week from Finnish, French and British safety groups which called for changes to its design. [ID:nL3587674] [ID:nL4422767]

Gadonneix said he did not expect the design changes to delay the EPR being built at Flammanville in France which he reiterated would be producing electricity in 2013.

Shareholders on Thursday paved the way for the appointment of Henri Proglio to replace Gadonneix on Nov. 25. [ID:nLP462472] (Editing by David Cowell)