Paris wants to fill the stocks in anticipation of a harsh winter, in the light of the war in Ukraine.

French gas stocks are currently 75% full, Energy Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher said on Wednesday.

The objective: that they are full in the fall.

“In strategic gas storage, we have an advance of nearly 20 points compared to our obligations.

We are 74% full of our strategic storage this morning, 75% even, where the European Commission asked us for 52% on August 1, ”she said on LCI.

Drastic drop in Russian deliveries

“Our goal is to reach 100% before November 1,” she recalled.

The government announced this new objective at the end of June in the face of fears of a shortage of Russian gas, whereas the obligation was previously set at 85%.

The energy ministers of the European Union agreed on Tuesday in Brussels for their countries to reduce their gas consumption in a coordinated way, thus flying to the aid of Germany, after the announcement of a new drastic drop in Russian deliveries.

"It's a very good agreement", welcomed Agnès Pannier-Runacher.

Nuclear in the line of sight

The Minister also raised the issue of electricity, while the shutdown of many nuclear reactors is raising fears for supply next winter.

“Of our 56 reactors, 12 are shut down today for suspicion or proven discovery of corrosion.

The Nuclear Safety Authority will give its opinion today on the plan proposed by EDF, to say whether this plan seems appropriate or not”, she indicated.

“I cannot prejudge the opinion of the Nuclear Safety Authority but we will have the information during the day”, underlined the minister, recalling that 18 other reactors are also stopped for scheduled maintenance.

"Today 30 out of 56 reactors are shut down, but of these 30 reactors, there are 18 which are obviously intended to restart, according to a plan which has moreover been communicated and which is public, in the coming weeks", she recalled.

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  • Economy

  • Gas

  • energy

  • Russia

  • War in Ukraine