France’s energy transition minister said on Friday that French power giant EDF has committed to restarting all of its nuclear reactors by this winter to help the country overcome a widespread energy crisis exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.
Agnès Pannier-Runacher said the government was taking steps to “avoid restrictive measures” on energy use at the peak of the winter cold season, following a special government meeting on energy issues. France relies on nuclear power for around 67% of its electricity – more than any other country – and natural gas for around 7%.
Read more: France unveils nuclear power review – with an eye on China Right now, 32 of France’s 56 nuclear reactors, all operated by EDF, are shut down for routine maintenance and, in some cases, to repair corrosion problems. “There is a timetable that says starting in October, every week, a new (nuclear) plant is back in operation,” Pannier-Runacher said. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne warned that a worst-case scenario this winter could lead to a two-hour blackout in French homes. The government will “closely monitor” the condition of nuclear plants that have reported corrosion problems. EDF “started to take action and has to confirm to us that it is going as planned,” Pannier-Runacher said. 01:43 © France 24
France unveiled an “energy sobriety” plan in June, aiming to cut energy use by 10% by 2024. The measure comes amid fears that Russia may cut off natural gas supplies and that LNG imports will not be enough to meet Europe’s energy needs. Pannier-Runacher said the country’s strategic natural gas reserves were 92 percent full. In addition, electricity and gas trade with neighboring Spain and Germany will be boosted this winter, he said. Russia’s state-controlled energy company Gazprom cut off the flow of natural gas through a major pipeline from Russia to Europe this week, citing temporary scheduled maintenance. (AP)
