The new arrivals on the front of the nuclear power in France are felt on the Paris Stock Exchange, where mid-morning the title EDF advance by about two and a half percentage points. The wave of purchases was triggered by the French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, who confirmed that the government is considering the option of renationalise the energy giant.
During an interview with Bfm TV, when asked about the possibility of a 100% return to state hands of EDF, the minister replied that "all options are on the table". Le Maire noted that "the company has difficulties because not all nuclear reactors are currently available". Furthermore, "the Government has asked the group for sacrifices" in terms of electricity tariffs. In any case, "we will always be alongside Edf", confirmed the minister, reiterating that "all hypotheses are on the table” for the future of the group.
In recent days, the scenario of a renationalization of EDF had appeared in the rumors and statements of politicians. Yesterday the Minister of Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, when asked by Europe 1 about EDF, replied that a renationalisation of the company for allow it to build new nuclear reactors it has not yet been decided, but “it is not excluded”.
Macron's plan for nuclear power in France
Today the French state controls 85% of EDF. The project by President Emmanuel Macron of energy transition foresees a nuclear program costing 60 billion euros, with the construction from 6 to 14 new generation Epr reactors. Due to maintenance problems, especially corrosion affecting a part of its nuclear park, EDF has had to revise downwards several times its production estimates for this year. The group is also heavily in debt and its financial situation worsened after the government forced it to sell electricity at reduced costs to keep the bills of households and small businesses down.
