26 Jan (NucNet): A series of nuclear power station shutdowns for maintenance, which took 9 GW of nuclear capacity offline out of a total of 63 GW, have left France facing electricity supply constraints with renewables unable to make up the shortfall, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said. With a particularly cold winter in Europe, France finds itself experiencing peak electricity demand close to the historic peak recorded in 2012, the IEA said.
Because of the country’s significant reliance on electricity for winter-time heating, an additional 2.4 GW of power is needed for every 1°C drop in temperature – roughly the equivalent of two average nuclear plants. France’s electricity generation is highly dependent on nuclear, which accounts for 75% of its power.
Renewables make up about a quarter of electricity capacity, most of which comes from hydro. But with water levels in reservoirs at their lowest levels in 10 years, hydro’s contribution to total generation is also at its lowest in a decade.
According to the IEA, other renewables contribute about 7% of electricity generation, but limited daylight hours in the winter mean restricted generation from solar PV.
Conventional generation, which includes gas, coal and oil, makes up only about 6% of total generation, or roughly one tenth of the country’s nuclear generation in normal times.
The IEA said importing electricity is an option but this depends on how much neighbouring countries have to spare. Supply is also tight in the UK and Belgium is in the process of shutting down its own nuclear power plants, a policy that the IEA cautioned last year could challenge efforts to ensure electricity security.
The IEA said the government will need to ensure that the French nuclear industry is able to face the challenges ahead, including lifetime extensions and new nuclear reactors.
This is also important for the rest of the European Union, as the outlook of nuclear power in France has an impact on the interconnected EU electricity market and the energy security of neighbouring countries, including Belgium and Germany.
Details online: http://bit.ly/2jx8v4c
