France's EDF Delays Restart of Nuclear Reactors in Blow to Power Provide

France’s EDF Delays Restart of Nuclear Reactors in Blow to Power Provide

(Bloomberg) — Electricite de France SA prolonged upkeep halts at two nuclear reactors by 4 months, additional straining energy provides in France and neighboring nations this winter.

The world’s largest nuclear fleet has suffered extended shutdowns this 12 months which have left Europe much more reliant on pure gasoline at a time of report costs. Whereas EDF has returned many items to service in current weeks, its getting older vegetation look set to run far under optimum capability this winter. That would worsen an power provide disaster that’s already price Europe $1 trillion to attempt to include.

The restart of EDF’s Penly-2 unit has been delayed to June 11 from Jan. 29, whereas its Golfech-1 generator will even be again on-line June 11 reasonably than Feb. 18, the utility stated Monday in a message to the grid operator.

As well as, the halt of Cattenom-3 is prolonged by one month to March 26, and the restart of Civaux-2 is postponed by greater than a month to Feb. 19.

France has been compelled to import energy, having historically been a significant exporter to neighboring nations. Its reactors at the moment are operating at simply over two-thirds of typical capability. Meaning extra electrical energy must come from gasoline, consuming into European storage that’s turn into harder to refill after Russia lower provides.

France’s grid operator has warned of a possible electrical energy shortfall within the colder months as heating demand rises whereas the utility continues to grapple with reactor repairs.

EDF stated Friday that it’s additionally delayed the startup of a brand new nuclear reactor in western France by a number of months into 2024 as a result of prolonged work. That undertaking is already greater than a decade late.

(Updates with Europe’s power invoice in second paragraph.)

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