Electricite de France SA said Monday it has raised its stake in British Energy Group PLC to 88.67 percent following its public takeover offer announced last month.
France's state-controlled nuclear energy giant said it would extend its 774 pence-per-share ($11.63) offer for the British nuclear power-plant operator until Jan. 5.
The original offer period ended Friday.
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EdF announced its 12.5 billion pounds ($18.7 billion) cash offer for British Energy in September, betting big on the prospects for Britain's nuclear industry at a time of growing global concern about greenhouse gas emissions.
The deal, which won the approval of the French and British governments, hands over British Energy's eight nuclear plants to EdF — already the world's largest nuclear plant operator with 58 reactors in France. EdF also plans to eventually open four more in Britain.
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The deal was reached after EdF sweetened a bid that the British company had rejected in July. EdF offered 774 pence ($11.63) for every ordinary share of British Energy — an increase of nine pence per share from its previous bid in July.
The takeover brings more French nuclear expertise to Britain, which has been looking to diversify its energy mix. France gets about 80 percent of its energy from nuclear plants — the highest percentage of any major industrialized country.














