France Is Losing Its Race to Fix the Reactors Europe Needs
- Grid operator warns that risks of shortages are increasing
- Prolonged nuclear-power outages could hit France’s neighbors
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France’s nuclear industry is falling behind in efforts to get idled reactors running in time to escape blackouts and help Europe cope with the loss of Russian supplies this winter.
Once Europe’s biggest power exporter, France has made a bad situation even worse, and Europe’s energy crisis could intensify if Electricite de France SA comes up short with a plan to restart a quarter of its nuclear plants by mid-December. Its recent track record doesn’t look promising, and grid operator RTE warned on Friday that the risk of shortfalls in January is rising.