The French Energy Ministry has revealed that the nation has been drawing upon its strategic national reserves of fuel, “in a targeted manner,” since the beginning of March. In a report by Reuters released Tuesday, the ministry refused to provide details of any shortages, claiming it would violate confidentiality.

The ministry noted however that there have been growing supply problems in some southern regions and several refineries continue to be blocked from delivering products following two weeks of strikes by workers. Workers continue to strike over changes to the French pension system, disrupting fuel deliveries and refinery operations.

The report noted that a TotalEnergies refinery operating in Normandy is slated to be shut down on Tuesday due to a strike by its workers. A spokesman for the company told Reuters the other sites continued to operate normally, although he did reveal that roughly 36% of the company’s operational staff remained on strike on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, strikes at nuclear, thermal, and hydropower electricity generation plants have reduced the total power capacity of the nation by 15.6 gigawatts (GW). However it is believed the supply remains enough to meet the domestic demand based on official data which shows the country has not stopped exporting power to neighboring countries.

The strikes across the nation by industrial workers are being launched in opposition to a bill which increases the retirement age by two years, from 62 to 64. The bill, which has sparked strong opposition and massive protests, was forced through parliament using a procedural rule which passed it without an actual vote on it, only further inflaming opponents.