In the midst of restructuring, the IT group Atos announced on Tuesday the sale of its highly critical subsidiary Worldgrid, which designs control systems for nuclear power plants, notably for EDF, to France’s Alten. Atos “announced today that it has signed a sale agreement with ALTEN SA (“ALTEN”) for the sale of its Worldgrid business for an enterprise value of 270 million euros.“, the group announced in a press release. “Approvals from the main employee representative bodies and regulators have been received, and the transaction is expected to close before the end of 2024.“says Atos.

Worldgrid employs around 1,100 people and generated sales of around €170 million in 2023, while Alten is “a recognized player in IT and engineering with expertise and product offerings in the energy and utilities sectors“explains the press release. The sale was announced in June, and is of strategic importance for the industrial safety of France’s nuclear power plants. The former flagship of the “tech“is counting on the completion of its restructuring plan between November and December 2024, or even January 2025, to turn things around and reduce its debt.

It is in discussions with the French government to sell its “strategic activities“These include the supercomputers used for nuclear deterrence. In June, the French government made an offer of 700 million euros to prevent these sensitive activities from falling into the hands of foreign players. This proposal was not to Atos’s liking, and Atos submitted a revised offer to the French government. The two parties are continuing their negotiations.