Winter power cuts could be imposed

HOUSEHOLDS in France could be hit by a series of power cuts this winter as the electricity network tries to cope with a shortage of supply.

Electricity network operator RTE has warned that the cuts might be necessary if a long and intense spell of cold weather arrives.

This is because France is having to import large amounts of power from overseas this winter for the first time.

The power supply problem has arisen because 17 of France’s 58 nuclear reactors are currently out of action after maintenance work due to take place in the spring was delayed by strikes.

The equivalent of four nuclear power stations worth of electricity (4,000 megawatts) will be channelled into the country each day between mid-November and the end of January.

The consumption could rise to 9,000 megawatts if temperatures fall 8°C below the seasonal average, to cope with the sharp rise in electricity consumption linked to heating homes.

Beyond this point, RTE said it would be forced to impose temporary power cuts to save supplies for the coldest parts of the day and stop the whole system from collapsing.

It is encouraging households to adopt basic energy-saving measures, such as avoiding excessive use of power-hungry devices such as washing machines and dishwashers.

News of the potential power cuts came as a trio of European nuclear safety watchdogs warned that not enough was being done to ensure the next generation of nuclear reactors was safe.

The French, British and Finnish authorities said today that the European Pressurised Reactors, which are being built in all three countries, needed better systems to protect the public in the event of an accident.

They ordered manufacturer Areva to make the necessary amendments to the software that deals with any problems detected at the plant.