(updates with report French firm seeks $5.1 bln deal)
LONDON, Oct 4 (Reuters) - EDF said it is open to nuclear partnerships in the UK, after a newspaper reported the French energy company is seeking to sell a 20 percent stake in UK generator British Energy for up to 3.2 billion pounds ($5.1 billion).
EDF is open to alliances for the construction of four EPR nuclear reactors in the UK, a spokeswoman said following the report in the Mail on Sunday.
The French firm sold a 20 percent stake in the unit to Centrica for 2.5 billion euros last May and there have been reports the group is looking for another partner as part of an ongoing campaign to sell off assets to reduce debt.
EDF announced this week plans to sell its British power distribution business for more than 4 billion euros to cut debt.
(Reporting by Victoria Bryan in London and Tamora Vidaillet in Paris; editing by John Stonestreet)