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☆ Why Britain Is Struggling With Nuclear Power
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Stanley Reed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A rust-colored dome looms over the muddy farmland of Hinkley Point, a headland overlooking the Bristol Channel in southwest England. When a giant yellow crane hoisted the 150-foot-wide concrete-and-steel saucer into place this winter, it signified a milestone for what will be the first commercial nuclear power station built in Britain since the mid-1990s and a flagship in an effort to revive the industry. Yet the capping of the first of twin cylindrical buildings for reactors was also a reminder of the prodigious, lengthy and increasingly costly effort to build what is known as Hinkley Point C.Work has been underway on the plant for more than a decade, yet completion remains years away. Recently, Électricité de France, the French state utility that is constructing the plant, warned of yet more delays. The start date, which two years ago was scheduled for 2027, has been pushed to the end of this decade, or perhaps 2031.

Persons: Électricité Organizations: Bristol Locations: Hinkley, England, Britain, France

☆ Electricite de France to invest in all decarbonated power, CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'We are going to invest in all of the dimensions of decarbonated power': Electricite de France CEOElectricite de France CEO Luc Remont discusses the company's investment and energy mix outlook amid the green transition.

Persons: Electricite, Luc Remont Locations: France

WIDESPREAD IMPACTAny shortfall in France's total power generation will have Europe-wide repercussions due to the scale of France's clean power supplies. Even with the rapid advances in clean power generation throughout most major European economies in recent years, France still accounts for over 25% of total clean power generation in the European Union, data from think tank Ember shows. The latest forecast for wind generation in Germany, Europe's largest wind power producer, calls for wind power generation to be 2.1% above the long-term average from November 2023 through to the end of February 2024, data from LSEG shows. Any drop in regional wind power output would also affect regional power flows by raising demand for imports into countries that may see a dip in local wind generation. In recent months, France's rising output of nuclear power has facilitated higher power market exports to neighbouring nations, including the United Kingdom and Italy.

Persons: Yves Herman Acquire, Gavin Maguire, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: EDF, REUTERS, Jan, European Union, Reuters, Thomson Locations: France, Cattenom, LITTLETON , Colorado, Russia, Ukraine, LSEG, Europe, EU, Germany, Europe's, United Kingdom, Italy

☆ France issues 'red alert' over heatwave in south
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The logo of Electricite de France (EDF) is seen in front of electrical pylons at the Tricastin nuclear power plant site in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux, France, November 21, 2022. The departments targeted by the alert, which allows local authorities to call off events and close public facilities if needed, are the Rhone, Drome, Ardeche and Haute-Loire, Meteo France said. Earlier on Monday, Meteo France had issued an orange alert for half of the country's territory, saying temperatures will reach between 35 and 38 C (95 to 100 F) in most of the affected departments. Temperatures are expected to rise to between 40 and 42 Celsius (104 and 108 F) on Tuesday afternoon in the southern departments of Ardeche, Drome, Vaucluse and Gard, Meteo France said. Some technical issues at the reactor also played a role in delaying the restart to Aug. 25, an EDF spokesperson told Reuters.

Persons: Eric Gaillard, Meteo, Forrest Crellin, Dominique Vidalon, Tassilo Hummel, Sudip Kar, Emelia, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, EDF, Reuters, Thomson Locations: France, Saint, Rhone, Drome, Ardeche, Haute, Loire, Meteo France, Vaucluse, Gard

☆ EDF swings back to profit in H1 thanks to price increases
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Net income came in at 5.8 billion euros ($6.44 billion), compared to a loss of 5.3 billion in the first half of 2022. The earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) reached 16.1 billion euros, from 2.7 billion euros a year earlier. Net debt rose slightly to 64.8 billion euros, from 64.5 billion euros at the end of 2022. The French state became the sole shareholder of the public utility after taking full control at the beginning of June. A government decision in 2022 to limit electricity price increases, as well as reduced power supply due to stress corrosion problems at several EDF reactors led to a record net loss of 18 billion euros in 2022.

Persons: Forrest Crellin, Benjamin Mallet, Silvia Aloisi Organizations: Electricite de, SA, PARIS, EDF, Thomson

☆ Exclusive: EDF CEO tells managers nuclear business to be reorganised
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Electricite de France SA FollowPARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - EDF CEO Luc Remont told managers on Thursday that the state-owned power group's nuclear activities would be reorganised to overcome recurring problems that cut production last year. Two sources said the division would be restructured and five executives charged with drawing up proposals, including nuclear park head Cedric Lewandowski, head of new nuclear projects Xavier Ursat and head of industrial quality Alain Tranzer. France is the region's largest exporter of power, but the outages cut 2022 nuclear power output to the lowest level since 1988. Remont told the group's top 300 managers that talks were still underway with the state and EU competition regulators about its existing and future nuclear activities, the source said. There's no need to wait for a final decision from the president's office," the source said after attending the meeting with managers.

Persons: Luc Remont, Cedric Lewandowski, Xavier Ursat, Alain Tranzer, Emmanuel Macron's, Remont, Elizabeth Pineau, Benjamin Mallet, Josephine Mason, Leigh Thomas, Jan Harvey Organizations: Electricite de, SA, PARIS, EDF, Reuters, French, Thomson Locations: France, EU, Paris, London

☆ Strikes hit French nuclear output, disrupt EDF maintenance plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Forrest Crellin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoPARIS, March 24 (Reuters) - Strikes in France are impacting maintenance plans at EDF's (EDF.PA) nuclear plants, curbing production just as the utility hoped to rebound from a 34-year output low last year. At least 14 nuclear reactors in EDF's fleet of 56 have suffered some delay affecting their maintenance plans, data from the CGT union showed. For EDF that has meant nuclear power output in 2023 even lower than last year when it had swathes of reactors offline for repairs and checks for stress corrosion cracks. EDF declined to comment on the impact of the strikes on its maintenance plans. French nuclear safety watchdog ASN requested EDF revise its maintenance program due to new cracks discovered this month in some reactors.

☆ Strike reduces French power supply, halts refinery shipments
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

EDF's (EDF.PA) outage table showed a 4.5 GW nuclear supply reduction at eight reactors, 460 megawatts (MW) of reduced hydropower and 2.8 GW of lower thermal production. This is how strikes work in France : strikers are not allowed to put security of supply at risk," analyst Emeric de Vigan said. Meanwhile, deliveries of refined oil products were blocked from leaving refineries operated by TotalEnergies , the company said. There would be no disruption to fuel supplies at service stations if the unions maintained their strike timetable, TotalEnergies has said. The CGT refineries federation has called for a single day of strike this week and further walkouts next week and the week after.

☆ French winter power supply risk cut to 'medium', says RTE
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Forrest Crellin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Companies Electricite de France SA FollowPARIS, Dec 20 (Reuters) - The risk to French power supply from the start of January through the rest of winter has been reduced to 'medium' because of higher nuclear and hydropower availability as well as reduced demand from consumers, French grid operator RTE said on Tuesday. Nuclear power utility EDF (EDF.PA) has faced an unprecedented number of reactor outages this year owing to delayed maintenance and stress corrosion, reducing nuclear output to 30-year lows just as Russia's war in Ukraine hit Europe's energy supplies. Nuclear power availability topped 40 GW on Dec. 12, lifting supply to the top of the expected availability range, RTE said. The filling level of French gas stocks has dropped to about 85% after beginning the winter near full, which is higher than previous years, RTE said. There is no concern for the first part of winter thanks to high gas supply across the continent, but vigilance will be needed for the second half of winter and especially winter 2023-24, RTE added.

☆ France copes with high power demand on nuclear supply ramp-up
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Electricite de France SA FollowPARIS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - France on Monday avoided a strain on its power grids in the face of rising demand as Paris recorded sub-zero temperature, thanks to a ramp-up in supply in nuclear as well as hydro power and strong imports from neighbouring countries. Demand rose above 80 gigawatts (GW) during peak morning hours for the first time this winter, according to a spokesperson for RTE, the country's transmission system operator. France's nuclear availability was able to supply above 40 GW as its plants returned to levels last seen in early March over the weekend. The French transmission system operator has pretty comfortable margins so far, Emeric de Vigan, vice president of power at data and analytics firm Kpler, said in a tweet. Nuclear operator EDF (EDF.PA) ramped up output at three nuclear reactors on Friday following repairs and said it hopes to start fixing stress corrosion issues at its Penly 2 reactor in mid-January.

☆ Cold weather could cause French power cuts next week
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Electricite de France SA FollowPARIS, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Cold weather could lead to power cuts in France on Monday as delays to the restart of nuclear power following repair work leave supply lagging demand, analysts said. Nuclear power supply had been expected to reach around 40 gigawatts (GW) this week, but operator EDF's (EDF.PA) delay in restarting reactors meant it rose to only around 35 GW, leaving France more reliant on imports and gas-fired production. "If we remain at 35 GW, next week Monday could become quite tight: we expect the demand at otherwise seasonally normal levels, but 35 GW of nuclear would be too low to meet a possible demand peak at 73 GW," Gerl said. The current EDF schedule shows 3 GW of nuclear power returning to the grid next week, putting total capacity at 38 GW for the first cold spell of the peak demand winter season. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsGrid operator RTE said on Thursday France may face "some days" this winter when there was too little electricity supply.

☆ Welders wanted: France steps up recruitment drive as nuclear crisis deepens
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Benjamin Mallet | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

EDF estimates that France's nuclear industry needs to recruit between 10,000 and 15,000 workers a year over the next seven years. Despite relatively high unemployment, France's manufacturing, construction, engineering and IT industries complain they can't get the workers they need. These people work with molten metal at 1,500 degrees Celsius, and sometimes have to stand upside down," said one welder in the nuclear industry, who asked not to be identified. Before the war in Ukraine, successive administrations sought to reduce France's reliance on nuclear energy, not build new reactors, they say. For a long time, France was Europe's nuclear energy champion - and its biggest electricity exporter.

☆ France's grid operator: EDF strikes could have heavy consequences for winter supply
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Electricite de France SA FollowPARIS, Oct 18 (Reuters) - France's national grid operator RTE warned on Tuesday that prolonged strikes delaying the restart of some reactors at nuclear power group EDF could have "heavy consequences" for the country's electricity supplies over the coming winter. RTE cut its forecast range for power availability for this month and the first half of November based on the blockade at some of EDF's reactors so far, compared to a previous report it released in September. RTE is still maintaining its expectation that France's nuclear power production will rise to between 40 and 45 gigawatt (GW) in December and January from 25-30 GW at the end of October. "A prolonged social movement would have heavy consequences for the key part of the winter," it said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Benjamin Mallet, writing by Silvia AloisiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Eleven French nuclear sites affected by strike, union says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Electricite de France SA FollowPARIS, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Strikes have affected 11 French nuclear power plants, an FNME-CGT power union representative said on Tuesday, delaying maintenance at 17 different reactors. Power production was also reduced by 1.8 gigawatts (GW) at three other nuclear reactors, data from operator EDF (EDF.PA) showed. Members of FNME-CGT have been staging rolling strikes at French nuclear power plants for several weeks over wages, heightening the risk of power supply shortages as the French utility struggles to get enough reactors back online for winter. Maintenance operations are continuing on the reactors that are currently shutdown despite the strikes, an EDF spokesperson said on Monday. The strike is part of a general strike on Tuesday that has affected train traffic, schools and other sectors.

☆ EDF says strike hits a third of French nuclear plants, delaying maintenance work
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Electricite de France SA FollowPARIS, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Strike action over wage demands was hitting a third of EDF's 18 French nuclear plants as of Friday night, a spokesperson for the utility said, further delaying the maintenance of its reactors. "Six sites (were) affected by strikes as of last night," the spokesperson said on Saturday. This led to the postponement of the restart date of five reactors currently under maintenance by "one to several days", the spokesperson for EDF (EDF.PA) added. A representative for France's FNME trade union said on Friday that maintenance work at nine nuclear reactors split between five sites had been delayed due to a strike over wages. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EDF's French nuclear output down 37.2% in September
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies Electricite de France SA FollowPARIS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Nuclear power generation at EDF's (EDF.PA) French reactors fell 37.2% year-on-year in September to 18.2 terawatt hours (TWh), mainly due to the maintenance of circuits affected by stress corrosion, the utility said on Tuesday. EDF said on its website that total nuclear generation in France since the start of the year had been 209.2 TWh, down 22% compared with January-September 2021. The French utility said its September nuclear power output in Britain was up 19.9% year-on-year at 3.2 TWh, against 2.7 TWh in 2021. Total generation in Britain since the start of the year was at 33.2 TWh, up 11.2% from January-September 2021. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Forrest Crellin; Editing by Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Europe's energy crisis has gotten so bad that French power stations are being allowed to break environmental rules as a fresh heatwave looks set to cause more chaos
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-09 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

French power stations are reportedly being allowed to break environmental rules to stay open, per Bloomberg. In France, the crisis is so bad that power stations are being permitted to break environmental rules to stay open as the country struggles to maintain national energy supplies, according to a report from Bloomberg. The waiver, reportedly in place until September, allows Electricite de France to keep the energy plants operating amid national pressure on supply. In France, rivers and waterways are used to cool power plants. Under the current environmental rules, nuclear plants must reduce or stop output when river temperatures reach a point at which use by the plants may harm the environment, per Bloomberg.

☆ SUA investighează o scurgere radioactivă de la o centrală nucleară din China
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-14 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +2 min

Sursa foto: AFPSUA investighează o scurgere radioactivă de la o centrală nucleară din ChinaGuvernul Statelor Unite a petrecut ultima săptămână anchetând o posibilă scurgere radioactivă la o centrală nucleară din provincia chineză Guangdong, după ce o companie franceză care este implicată în operarea centralei nucleare a avertizat privind un „pericol radiologic iminent”, relatează CNN, care citează mai mulți oficiali americani și documente. Oficiali americani au stabilit că situația nu reprezintă un risc sporit de securitate pentru angajații de la centrală sau pentru restul populației. China a crescut ponderea în care folosește energia nucleară, care reprezintă aproximativ 5% din total. Centrala nucleară Taishan este un proiect de prestigiu după ce China a semnat un acord de producere a energiei nucleare cu Électricité de France, deținut în mare parte de guvernul francez. Construcția centralei a început în 2009, iar cele două unități au început să furnizeze energie în 2018 și 2019.

Persons: Biden, CNN, Scenariul Organizations: China Guvernul, CNN, franceză, Energiei, Securitate, Energie Locations: SUA, China, China Guvernul Statelor Unite, chineză Guangdong, franceză, american, chinez, Statele Unite

Condiţiile meteo extreme au împins deja preţurile la electricitate, combustibili şi nave de transport la cotaţii record. Marii consumatori industriali sunt primii cărora le-a fost redusă aprovizionarea cu electricitate, urmaţi de clădirile comerciale, pentru a putea fi asigurată aprovizionarea consumatorilor rezidenţiali. Facturile unor consumatori de pe piaţa reglementară sunt legate de preţurile angro, care sunt la cel mai ridicat nivel din ultimul deceniu. Cât de frig va fi în restul iernii ar putea fi factorul crucial care va decide dacă preţurile ridicate la energie se vor menţine. În condiţiile în care nordul Asiei, cel mai mare consumator de gaze lichefiate, îşi reface stocurile, această cerere va susţine preţurile de referinţă pe întreg parcursul anului 2021.

Persons: David Thomas . Organizations: France SA, Agerpres, Wood Mackenzie Ltd Locations: America de Nord, Europa, Asia, China, Japonia, Tokyo, Franţa, Spania, Madrid, Asiei

☆ Valul de frig a provocat haos în sistemul energetic mondial; Francezii, sfătuiți să se îmbrace mai gros în casă
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-15 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +3 min

China are probleme în a asigura aprovizionarea cu electricitate pe fondul celor mai scăzute temperaturi de după 1966. Marii consumatori industriali sunt primii cărora le-a fost redusă aprovizionarea cu electricitate, urmaţi de clădirile comerciale, pentru a putea fi asigurată aprovizionarea consumatorilor rezidenţiali. Cât de frig va fi în restul iernii ar putea fi factorul crucial care va decide dacă preţurile ridicate la energie se vor menţine. Însă chiar dacă temperaturile vor începe să crească, impactul asupra livrărilor de gaze lichefiate ar putea să se resimtă chiar şi la vară şi să se răsfrângă şi asupra altor pieţe. În condiţiile în care nordul Asiei, cel mai mare consumator de gaze lichefiate, îşi reface stocurile, această cerere va susţine preţurile de referinţă pe întreg parcursul anului 2021.

Persons: David Thomas Organizations: France SA, Agerpres, Wood Mackenzie Ltd Locations: America de Nord, Europa, Asia, China, Japonia, Tokyo, Franţa, Spania, Madrid, Asiei

☆ Глобальный хаос в энергосистеме из-за волны холода
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-15 | by ( Mld Media Srl | Степанов Георгий | ) noi.md time to read: +3 min

Все больше компаний начинают ощущать последствия, и высокие цены на электроэнергию начинают сказываться на крупных потребителях», – говорит аналитик Дэвид Томас. В Японии коммунальные компании призвали потребителей экономить электроэнергию, а правительство Токио обратилось к независимым производителям с просьбой максимизировать производство. Счета некоторых потребителей на регулируемом рынке связаны с оптовыми ценами, которые находятся на самом высоком уровне за последнее десятилетие. Но даже если температуры начнут расти, влияние на поставки сжиженного газа может ощущаться даже летом и затронуть другие рынки. Учитывая, что Северная Азия, крупнейший потребитель сжиженного газа, восстанавливает свои запасы, этот спрос будет поддерживать цены в течение 2021 года.

Persons: Electricite, Холод, Дэвид Томас Organizations: Bloomberg Locations: France, Agerpres, Япония, Франция, Северная Америке, Европа, Азия, Китай, Токио, Испания, Мадрид, Северная Азия

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