France will spend "as much as necessary" to recapitalise troubled nuclear energy group Areva, the Elysee announced in a statement Wednesday, and also stressed energy giant EDF must "become a majority shareholder" in Areva's reactor activity.

"The challenge isn't merely to respond to financial difficulties that Areva might encounter, but to restructure the entire sector and give it a new outlook," said an official close to President Francois Hollande.