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France’s nuclear headache – Macron on the brink of rationing electricity

 France’s nuclear headache leaves Macron on brink of rationing
electricity. The threat of power cuts has been looming over France —
curious considering that it is normally a significant exporter of
electricity, thanks to its 56 nuclear reactors, by far the largest number
of Europe.

This same dependence on nuclear has proved to be its Achilles
heel, however, as a result of a crisis prompted by the discovery of cracks
in the pipes of a number of its reactors which, at its height, forced the
closure of almost half of its nuclear power stations.

The resulting cut in
output to a 30-year low has added to the energy supply problems across
Europe caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine. Some of the problem reactors
have since been restarted, but last week 39 per cent of France’s 61,370
megawatts of nuclear generation capacity remained offline, according to
analysis by Reuters of data provided by RTE, which operates the country’s
grid.

 Times 1st Jan 2023

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/frances-nuclear-headache-leaves-macron-on-brink-of-rationing-electricity-0hzml0xdr

January 1, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, France