A new version of the Multi-year Energy Program (PPE) was unveiled on Tuesday by the government, with a view to the opening of the public consultation. This text specifies the methods for reducing nuclear power to 50% of French electricity production in 2035, via the closure of 14 nuclear reactors in eight power plants, including that of Fessenheim which will close this year.
"EDF has proposed to the government to study the shutdown of pairs of reactors on the Blayais, Bugey, Chinon, Cruas, Dampierre, Gravelines and Tricastin sites", specifies this text which is subject to public consultation until February 19.
Currently, the French nuclear fleet includes 58 reactors operating in 19 power plants. Unsurprisingly, and in line with Emmanuel Macron's announcement in November 2018 of the State's energy strategy, it is the 900 MW reactors, the oldest in the French fleet, that are targeted, that is to say those who will soon reach 50 years. In principle, these closings should therefore take place between 2029 and 2035 if this age limit is taken into account.
However, two reactors could be closed from 2025-2026, then two others in 2027 and 2028. These early closings “will be confirmed three years before their implementation on the basis of the data available at that time. "
A good operation for the State
And since, in principle, nuclear reactors must be depreciated over half a century, the State warned that "these shutdowns will not give rise to compensation. "
Since all these reactors are located in plants which have at least four reactors, this should not lead to the total closure of the plants, except for Fessenheim. This should therefore partly limit social breakage.
According to this text, this choice makes it possible “to have a coherent scenario from an industrial point of view, advantageous from an economic point of view as long as there are outlets and there is no overcapacity leading to significant drops in market prices, and which enables the French and European electricity mix to benefit from low-carbon electricity production. "
The development of renewable energies
At the same time, this PPE has set itself the priority of closing the four coal-fired power plants still in France and the development of biogas and offshore wind power.
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Élisabeth Borne, the Minister of Ecological Transition, announced that the government would "dedicate an additional 1.8 billion euros to biogas and increase by nearly 40% the capacities of offshore wind power".
The new PPE thus sets targets between 5.2 and 6.8 GW of offshore wind installed for 2028.
The objective is to ensure with renewable energies 27% of electricity production in 2023 and between 33 and 36% in 2028, compared to 21% today. By this time, the nuclear share should be 60% against 72% currently.