France's EDF in talks to buy So Energy to expand British customer base

PARIS, Sept 7 (Reuters) - French state-owned electric utility EDF is in talks to acquire electricity supplier So Energy, which is majority owned by Irish company ESB, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday, confirming a media report from Sunday.

The acquisition of the retail electricity supplier and solar panel installer would expand EDF's already large footprint in Britain, where it supplies around 5 million customers with electricity.

The purchase would add around another 300,000 customers for EDF, the Sky News report said.

A spokesman for So Energy said the company is considering a range of options but cannot comment further on them as the matter is commercially sensitive.

EDF is trying to keep up with competitors Octopus Energy, British Gas and E.ON in a competitive British market.

German utility E.ON is also seeking to increase its presence there and in May announced plans to buy rival Ovo Energy for an undisclosed sum. 

The source, who declined to be named because they were not authorised to speak publicly, did not provide a valuation for So Energy.

(Reporting by Forrest Crellin;Editing by Alison Williams and Barbara Lewis)