A new Bloomberg report is revealing that the French government has given power generation companies permission to burn more coal over the coming months so as to prevent energy shortages in the coming winter.
The outlet noted that problems with corrosion afflicting the fleet of nuclear reactors operated by French utility major Electricite de France (EDF), which supplies over half of the electricity used in France, will keep the utility’s plants offline for repairs, and as a result, electrical production will be well below historical levels this winter.
Referring to the output from wind and solar generation facilities, as well as a fall in energy consumption, the French Ecological Transition Ministry said, “Tension on the power system is currently lower than at the same period of last year. However, one must take all measures to ensure security of energy supply for the French in any event.” It added that the winter could prove to be “very tough,” and that the conflict in Ukraine may still not be concluded by the winter, leading to further disruptions to energy markets.
Meanwhile the government has clamped down its requirements regarding the operation of the nation’s two remaining coal-fired power plants. The ministry has specified that in the coming winter, electricity producers will only be allowed to operate for up to 1,800 hours, or roughly 11 weeks, which will be a decline from the 2,500 hours which they were allotted last winter.
In addition the government has increased the payments which must be made per ton of carbon dioxide released.
Following the decision by the European Union to cease purchases of Russian energy products as part of the sanctions packages levied against Moscow over the war in Ukraine, energy prices in the bloc soared last year. Once a power exporter, France was forced to rely on the import of electricity from neighboring nations last winter, due to large numbers of its nuclear plants, which provide 70% of the country’s electricity, being out of service as they underwent maintenance procedures.
