Due to technical problems and maintenance work, France is currently producing less electricity than ever before. In the past few days, however, three reactors have been put back into operation. Meanwhile, planning for new nuclear sites is progressing.
Shortly before the announced cold spell in France begins, 40 of 56 nuclear reactors are back online in France. In the past few days, three reactors have been put back into operation, the nuclear operator EDF said. Due to technical problems and maintenance work, electricity production in France has been at an all-time low for months. France is therefore importing more electricity than before from Germany, which for its part has been purchasing gas directly from France for the first time since October.
With the currently running nuclear reactors, the output is 39 gigawatts, 61 gigawatts are installed. For the first time in 42 years, France imported more electricity than it exported this year. In the summer, up to 32 nuclear reactors were shut down at the same time.
Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire and EDF boss Luc Remont visited the Penly site on the English Channel, where the first of eight new nuclear reactors that France is planning to build. The government has been calling on households and companies to save electricity for weeks. EDF estimates that consumption in November fell by around ten percent compared to the same month last year, which is mainly due to industry. Because of the high energy prices, several companies have shut down production.
The French authorities are also preparing for possible hourly power outages in winter. There should be a computer simulation in the prefectures. A crisis team that includes several ministries is currently working on a hypothesis of six to ten power outages in winter. They should last a maximum of two hours and affect up to six million people at the same time.
Hospitals, patients who rely on electrical devices at home, fire stations, police and various industrial sites would be exempt. President Emmanuel Macron emphasizes that these are preparations for emergencies. "I don't think much of fear scenarios," he said, indirectly criticizing government officials who had mentioned the possible power outages.
The reduced electricity production in France is also causing concern in Baden-Württemberg. According to a confidential paper from the Ministry of the Environment in Stuttgart, so-called brownouts in Baden-Württemberg cannot be completely ruled out, reports the "Bild" newspaper. According to the letter quoted, these are “rolling shutdowns” that should last about one and a half hours.
