MHI Says to Buy 19.5% of Areva New NP

 Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHVYF) (MHI) will buy a 19.5 percent stake in nuclear reactor builder Areva New NP as part of the sale of the Areva unit to utility EDF, MHI said in a statement.  

MHI confirmed it is also scheduled to acquire a 5 percent stake in nuclear fuel group New Areva Holding, formerly referred to as "NewCo", by the end of this year.

Earlier this month, EDF said it had agreed to sell a 15 percent in New NP to MHI - which could later rise to 19.5 percent - based on a New NP valuation of 2.5 billion euros ($2.94 billion). It said French company Assystem would also buy 5 percent stake in the New NP group.

(Reporting by Geert De Clercq)