France does not risk electricity blackouts this winter despite 19 out of its 58 nuclear reactors on prolonged outages, French Energy Minister Segolene Royal said on Friday, a day after utility EDF (EDF.PA) postponed the restart of five reactors.
“There is no risk of shortage, ” Royal said on Europe 1 radio. “As minister responsible for energy, I’m responsible for the continuity of electricity supply, it is my responsibility to make sure electricity providers are accountable.”
EDF on Thursday cut its 2016 nuclear power output for the second time this year after earlier announcing that the restart of five nuclear reactors undergoing safety checks would be delayed until end-December.
The reactors are among 12 undergoing checks by EDF at the request of French nuclear safety regulator ASN and represent a total nuclear power capacity of 4,500 MW.
