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- Electricite de France SA said it’s likely to extend cuts to nuclear generation as scorching weather pushes up river temperatures, bringing the energy crisis in the European Union’s second-largest economy into sharp focus.
Europe’s biggest producer of atomic energy, usually a net exporter of power for most of the year, is importing now. The nuclear issues are not just a problem for France but for countries such as neighboring Germany, which may have to burn more gas to keep the lights instead of preserving the fuel in storage for winter.
The French utility said late Tuesday that power stations on the Rhone and Garonne rivers will likely produce less electricity in the coming days, but there will be a minimum level of output to keep the grid stable. A heat wave is pushing up river temperatures, restricting the utility’s ability to cool the plants.
