Electricite de France SA’s next boss will inherit numerous challenges, some of which will be eased by the looming nationalization and many that will remain just as acute.
In the midst of Europe’s worst energy crisis in a generation, the French government wants the debt-laden utility to keep households’ electricity bills in check while making massive investments to reduce France’s import dependence. Full state ownership could make that more achievable in financial terms, but will do little to solve the operational issues that are undermining atomic output.
