France bets “European Solidarity”In addition to sobriety and warranty production, energy urgency. The French Government announced that it will increase it this Friday. Gas and electricity exchange with Spain and Germany This winter will jointly face the shutdown of the Russian gas tap. It was one of the main announcements of the Defense Council (originally a small committee meeting format used for terrorism and defense issues), held on the Elysee this Friday to review the current crisis and highlighted after the price of electricity exceeded 1,000 euros last week. and Gazprom suspended gas supplies to the French company Engie.
“The key to overcoming this winter is general mobilization,” said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Energy Transition, following this meeting, chaired by Emmanuel Macron. ” Russian gas supply (in France) not cut, but found lowest levels” recognized the person responsible for this important portfolio. He also referred to the situation of French nuclear reactors, half of which are not working “due to corrosion or maintenance”: “EDF (state group) has promised that they will all be operational again this winter”.
The French Executive also hopes to reduce energy demand through voluntary sober measures, such as plans that companies must develop during September and will be reviewed in early October. “The success of the sobriety plan, avoid more coercive measures”, promised Pannier-Runacher. Despite Macron’s harsh statements ” end of abundance”, several measures have been announced by your Government in terms of energy saving. At least until now.
“Mutual Solidarity” with Germany and Spain
Besides guaranteeing sobriety and electricity production, the third pillar on which the French administration is based is “European solidarity”. At this Friday’s meeting, they “worked in a very special way. Relations with Germany and Spain”“The countries with which we make significant gas and electricity exchanges”, the minister stated. Starting this winter with gas and electricity exchanges with Germany and Spain, we came to the conclusion that this mutual solidarity should be strengthened.”
These statements come after pressure from the Spanish and German governments in recent weeks to agree to once again introduce the gas pipeline through the Pyrenees, known as the MidCat, to France. But Pannier-Runacher never mentioned this infrastructure. While statements by Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on Tuesday led to the belief that the French Executive might loosen his opposition to this project, sources close to the French Ministry of Economy said he was adamant in the neighboring country’s refusal. El Periódico.Energy Transition. “When we want to accelerate the output of fossil fuels and especially natural gas (…) the construction of this permanent and long-term infrastructure is not enough,” they said.
The same sources stated in August “ Existing interconnection between France and Spainthrough the Pyrenees (…), only 60% used“. And Paris wants to increase the energy exchange through this network.