All is well, you will be able to boil the pot at Christmas.
Despite fears linked to the war in Ukraine and the closing of the gas tap on the Russian side, French reserves are indeed full in anticipation of winter, assures the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE).
“The storage filling campaign for the winter of 2022/2023 is ending with more than 99% full storage,” CRE said in a press release, France thus becoming the third European country after Belgium and Portugal to fill its natural gas storage capacities to the maximum.
With 130 TWh, these reserves, which have reached a "higher level than the average of recent years", represent "about 2/3 of the winter consumption of SMEs and individuals" in France, she explains.
The Commission warns against “situations of tension nevertheless possible depending on the conditions of the passage of winter”.
"A massive collective effort aimed at reducing our energy consumption, involving companies, administrations, communities and individuals, is therefore essential", she asserts.
"Little leeway"
A vision shared by the two companies in charge of storage, Storengy, a subsidiary of Engie, and Teréga: "In order to anticipate possible situations of tension in the months to come, a reasoned use of storage as well as an effort of sobriety on gas and electricity consumption appear to be necessary right now," they said in a joint press release.
"This storage filling rate confirms the reliability of the system and of the French gas infrastructure", welcomed the CEO of Teréga, Dominique Mockly, whose company stores a quarter of the gas in France, mainly on sites located in the south of France. west of the country.
The government's objective of filling the country's storage capacity with natural gas by November has therefore been achieved, while Russian gas exports to France have completely dried up since 1 September.
He must present Thursday his "energy sobriety plan", aimed at mobilizing all sectors of economic and social life to reduce French energy consumption by 10% in two years and help the country to face a tense winter.
Storengy and Teréga insisted on the two scenarios envisaged for this winter.
“An average winter without a marked cold spell shows a globally balanced system”, they write even if there is “little room for maneuver”.
But in the event of a severe or long-lasting cold wave, “the winter deficit can reach 16 TWh, which represents 5% of winter consumption”, warn the two companies.
Sobriety measures will then be essential to avoid cuts and despite this, “all sources will then have to be mobilized” to satisfy consumption.
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