Under the terms of the deal signedby the two French companies, which last month tied-up to advance hydrogen fuel cellenergy storage systems, Schneider will provide transformers and circuitbreakers, to be manufactured at its facilities near Metz and Grenoble.

"This agreement withSchneider further underscores our commitment to developing a completeindustrial sector in France, providing job creation opportunities andharnessing our local expertise," states Areva Renewables chief executiveLouis-François Durret.

Schneider's