India and France are expected to finalise by next year the contract for setting up of two civil-nuclear power plants in Maharashtra through a joint venture.Describing the negotiation between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and France's nuclear company Areva as quite well, the Ambassador of France Jerome Bonnafont today said the contract was expected to be finalised by next year.He said the contract under which two power plants of 1,650 MW each will be set up in Jaitapur in Maharashtra was given by Avera this year around mid-July and the negotiations were on between the two sides.The contract was prepared on the basis of an MoU signed between NPCIL and Areva last February. France is among the countries including the US which has signed agreement with India in the field of civil-nuclear cooperation after the end of a nuclear trade embargo on New Delhi.