For the first time in months, France was a net exporter of electricity due to the mild winter. Increased wind power production and restarting of several nuclear reactors.
Despite the threat of power cuts due to the energy crisis, But there was no power outage in France this winter.
Restarting nuclear reactors mild winter and the cool wind blowing It means that France is exporting more electricity to its European neighbors than it is importing.
“We consume less because of the weather. but also because of the sobriety of energy and economic activity. We are at minus 8.5 per cent even at normal temperatures,” Thomas Veyrenc of France’s energy regulator RTE told franceinfo.
“Since January 1st, net electricity exports have stood at 1.4 terawatt hours,” RTE added.
This is equivalent to one year’s energy use by 450,000 households.
nuclear shortage
with low nuclear production France is therefore a net importer for most of the year. (except February, May, and since the end of December), something that hasn’t happened in 42 years.
In the past, the leading electricity exporting countries in Europe France had to import electricity from Spain, Germany and the UK to avoid power cuts.
Under pressure from the government, EDF has been working to bring 14 reactors back online since Nov. 1.
With 44 reactors reconnected from 56, France’s nuclear power availability soared to 73.7 percent, a level untouched since February 2022, according to EDF figures.
However, the availability of nuclear power plants should “Decreased again since February,” RTE stated at the end of December. While 6 nuclear reactors will have to be stopped by 2023 for corrosion work.
