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I know the Europeans are \u201cdifferent<\/em>\u201d from us. I get it. Culturally, politically, and philosophically \u2013 vive la difference! Most things they do that are\u2026odd<\/em>\u2026to an American way of thinking I can either rationalize, follow along to see where they\u2019re going to make sense of it or ask my Albanian almost-daughter-in-law, \u201cVurt da furk?\u201d She translates Euro-think for me as best she can.<\/p>\n In this instance, I have to admit defeat to the French. It sure sounds as if they have themselves A PLAN<\/strong>.<\/p>\n I just need someone to explain it to me<\/em>.<\/p>\n One takeaway from the @RTE_France<\/a>‘s winter electricity outlook published today: France is counting on importing electricity through Oct-Feb from European neighbors, including the UK. <\/p>\n But the UK power grid is also counting on importing electricity from France this winter.<\/p>\n \u2014 Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) September 14, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This is Bloomberg, not a parody account \u2013 believe me, I checked. Holy schamoly.<\/p>\n That same French grid operator RTE, referenced in the tweet, put out a relatively optimistic electricity forecast<\/a> for the coming winter.<\/p>\n No risk of total blackout in France but vigilance needed \u2013 RTE<\/strong><\/p>\n PARIS, Sept 14 (Reuters) \u2013 There is no risk of a total blackout in France this winter due to the current energy crisis, but some power cuts cannot be ruled out during peaks of demand, grid operator RTE said Wednesday.<\/p>\n RTE said lowering national electricity consumption by 1% to 5% in most scenarios and up to 15% in an extreme scenario of gas shortage and very cold weather could help avert a power crunch. It added it would be on alert to monitor market developments from November, or sooner if needed. RTE usually starts its winter monitoring in January.<\/p>\n The risks to supply are particularly high between November and January, but tense situations cannot be ruled out in October, February or March, RTE said.<\/p>\n The main uncertainties in the power sector include the energy situation in neighbouring countries, demand growth over the coming months, and the restart schedule of French nuclear reactors \u2013 half of which are currently offline due to corrosion issues and planned maintenance.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n After spending last week and this, writing about the self-defeating renewables\/anti-fossil fuel policies of Germany, and the Netherlands, I wasn\u2019t really up to speed on the French. Astonishingly enough in this age of hyperventilating Green tyranny, France has 56 nuclear reactors, with announced plans to build 14 new-generation reactors<\/a>, and a \u201cfleet\u201d of smaller reactors all over the country. How\u2019d they get so many to begin with? Unlike the United States and other countries, cowering in the face of the Saudi oil embargo of 1974, the French pro-actively went in the opposite direction and started building nuclear plants<\/a> to transition from fossil fuel generated electricity.<\/p>\n \u2026Over the last decade France has exported up to 70 TWh net each year. In the first half of 2021 France was Europe\u2019s biggest electricity exporter, principally to the UK and Italy.<\/p>\n France\u2019s present electricity generation mix is a result of the French government deciding in 1974, just after the first oil shock, to rapidly expand the country\u2019s nuclear power capacity, using Westinghouse technology. This decision was taken in the context of France having substantial heavy engineering expertise but few known indigenous energy resources. Nuclear energy, with the fuel cost being a relatively small part of the overall cost, made good sense in minimizing imports and achieving greater energy security.<\/p>\n As a result of the 1974 decision, France now claims a substantial level of energy independence and an extremely low level of carbon dioxide emissions per capita from electricity generation, since over 80% of its electricity is from nuclear or hydro.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n As 60 Minutes<\/a><\/em> said in 2007, \u201cVive Les Nukes<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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