This is not the mode of operation of nuclear power

Among European countries, the France is the most affected by the heat wave with the Germany and Britain. With strong heats, EDF has the alarm. "We are in a crisis situation," said Pierre Gadonneix last week before MEPs debated the Bill on energy. "We have already set our plan for crisis four times since the beginning of the year, the fourth time being just this morning Wednesday, where we had to buy 2,000 megawatts on the market."

To accompany these efforts, and continue to operate normally many of its nuclear plants, the Government has also to allow the operator to reject in the rivers of the cooling water warmer than those provided for in the standards in force (see opposite).

The recorded air temperatures lie, since 10 July, at approximately 5 C above normal seasonal, according to the network of electricity Transport (RTE). But the need of electricity climbs with the increased use of refrigeration (air conditioning, ventilation, etc.) and irrigation. While temperatures are still far from the level of the heat wave of August 2003, when they were at almost 8 C above normal, but all the same. Today heat increases 3 consumption seasonal normal and the volume of production of 2,300 to 2,500 MW, according to estimates of EDF, on a France currently 59.000 MW total. Which corresponds to several additional nuclear plants. Generally, when the temperature is above 24 C, each additional degree from normal adds 450 MW to the necessary production capacity.

Lack of power plants

But the climate is not sufficient to explain the point tensions between supply and demand at EDF. The heat is not a new phenomenon, and we did not found in recent years to increase consumption linked to increased air conditioning use", considered to be among the electrician. Moreover, in summer, the application does to two thirds of the winter consumption. The climate is in fact as the developer of a problem of imbalance in production, which became acute and explains plans for crisis repetition.

"Paradoxically, we export 10 of our production, but we import consumption peak, said Pierre Gadonneix before members of Parliament." Ornous cannot depend on our neighbours. At the time as I speak, there is no electricity available in Germany.

Nuclear power plants, whose output is constant, covers the "base", both stable and constant use, and its surplus generates exports. But EDF lack of thermal power plants, including the level of production may vary, with a quick start, to meet peak demand. This is not the mode of operation of nuclear power. Furthermore, for four years, a persistent drought handicaps hydroelectric production, and the electrician has not implemented new ways of production between 1994 and 2004. Good old fuel oil plants stopped in the 1970s have been renovated and will operate so that the group is called a "cocoon output." By 2008, EDF to restart four, including that of Porcheville in October. It builds on all modern combustion turbines, "bootable in a few seconds, so that can respond to"the extreme tip", and that require seven times less investment than a nuclear power plant", boasts Pierre Gadonneix. Today, the watchword is reactivity.