EDF will receive at least 400 million euros from the state for the early closure of the nuclear power plant Fessenheim (Haut-Rhin) next year, to which are added variable amounts representing its shortfall, announced Monday l 'business.
"Compensation Protocol"
EDF said in a press release that it "sent to the Minister in charge of the Ecological and Solidarity Transition and to the Nuclear Safety Authority the request for a repeal to operate as well as the declaration of final shutdown of the two reactors of the nuclear power plant Fessenheim ". This request provides for a shutdown of reactor # 1 on February 22 and reactor # 2 on June 30, 2020. These dates correspond to the schedule announced last week by the Secretary of State for Ecological Transition, Emmanuelle Wargon.
EDF adds that it has signed with the state the "indemnification protocol" to compensate the company for this early closure. It will result in a payment close to 400 million euros over four years following the shutdown of the plant for expenses related to its closure. The State will then pay sums "corresponding to the possible loss of earnings", that is to say the profits that would have brought the volumes of production until 2041. This date corresponds to what would have been the sixth ten-year visit of the facility.
Sums raised upwards
In 2016, the government of the day had proposed 80 to 100 million euros in return for the early closure of the nuclear power plant. The following year, a protocol had significantly increased these amounts, with a fixed compensation of about 490 million, plus an additional share reflecting the shortfall.
Commissioned in 1977, Fessenheim is the oldest plant still operating in France. Its closure, a promise of former President François Hollande, was to intervene initially in late 2016, but has been postponed several times. France wants to reduce to 50% (against 71.7% last year) the share of nuclear in its electricity production. This objective was pushed back from 2025 to 2035 in the energy and climate law that has just been adopted by Parliament.