The situation is finally looking up for the French nuclear fleet. The month of October had been especially detrimental in the context of the rigorous reactivation program of the nuclear park as the winter period approached. In particular, a strike movement within several EDF nuclear power plants, but also new stress corrosion (SCC) problems. After having generated significant delays, these factors finally put the energy company against the wall in this month of November that promised to be decisive.
And EDF finally sees the horizon clear. Although it stagnated at 26 reactors closed two weeks ago, the energy company stepped up the accelerator and counted on Monday the 20th after the restart of Bugey 2 and Cattenom 4 over the weekend. The month of December promises to be especially busy with no less than 10 infrastructures that need to be relaunched, most of them after maintenance work. For its part, the manager of the electricity transmission network already anticipates that some will overflow towards the month of January. Most sites frozen for CCS-related repairs will not be relaunched before the first weeks of 2023.
A tank fill rate just 2 points below normal
The good news is not only within the nuclear power plants but also on the dam side. Before this weekend, its occupancy rate continued to rise and stood at 68%, showing only a slight delay of 1.6 points compared to historical averages. In detail, the Northern Alps sites are 84% full and enjoy a comfortable advantage of 12.6 points over the normal ones. Similarly, those of the Massif Central have just reached the 60% threshold with a delay of only 2.5 points. These delays are more important but are also reduced for the infrastructures of the Southern Alps and the Pyrenees whose fill rate is also around 60%.
Finally, gas stocks remain full and LNG deliveries should remain high this winter. In addition, Engie does not want to draw heavily on these stocks to keep them at the highest possible level for winter 2023-2024, which is already causing concern.
Source: BFM TV
