France: record electricity prices panic industrialists

The Blayais nuclear power station in Gironde (illustrative image).

© Pierre-Alain Dorange / Wikimedia.org

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Electricity prices in France reached new records on the market on Wednesday, causing concern and " 

 " from manufacturers forced to obtain supplies at very high prices.

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Electricity for delivery next year (Cal 22) in France was trading at more than 200 euros per megawatt hour Wednesday morning on the European Energy Exchange EEX, for the first time at these levels.

The 100 euros mark was crossed for the first time in September, against the backdrop of a general surge in energy prices.

►Also read: The price of electricity is soaring in Europe

The rise in electricity prices on the market was fueled by increases in natural gas prices as well as CO2 emission quotas, the rights to pollute. But the current level leaves specialists speechless. " 

 ", it is an "

 "

increase 

, reacts Frank Roubanovitch, president of CLEEE, an association of large industrial and tertiary energy consumers. The price of electricity in France "is more expensive than with all our neighbors", he regrets.

Every minute I have calls from completely panicked consumers telling me "what are we doing?"

How are we doing?

".

So I have meetings with the public authorities, we were supposed to talk with them about the reform of the market for 2025, but above all I put the instant problem on the table.

What are we doing ?

There are solutions, it suffices for the government to issue an order or decree which increases the quantity of nuclear electricity that EDF makes available to consumers, there is still time to do it before December 31, common sense must prevail.

Frank Roubanovitch, president of the CLEEE

Manufacturers are currently forced to buy electricity at very high prices on the market.

Their requests to supply themselves with cheap EDF nuclear electricity within the framework of the Arenh system (for “regulated access to historic nuclear electricity”) could not in fact be fully satisfied because this mechanism is capped. .

No immediate impact on individuals and small professionals

" 

 ", "

", indicates Frank Roubanovitch.

"

 " also said Nicolas de Warren, president of Uniden (Union of energy-using industries) on Tuesday in a press release, once again asking the government to raise the ceiling of the Arenh.

However, this outbreak will not have an immediate impact on individuals and small professionals.

The government has indeed announced a limit to 4% of the increase in regulated sales tariffs (TRV) for electricity next year, a measure that may also weigh more than expected on public finances.

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