French may face power cuts if winter is harsh, warns head of energy regulator
September 20, 2022, 6:56 am

French may face power cuts if winter is harsh, warns head of energy regulator

France may face targeted power cuts as an exceptional measure in case the winter is extremely cold - Photo. Pixabay

France may face targeted power cuts as an exceptional measure in case the winter is extremely cold and there are delays in the reopening of nuclear reactors, the country’s energy regulatory commission warned on Monday (Sep 19), according to the Anadolu Agency.

Emmanuelle Wargon told FranceInfo: “In the most difficult cases, there can be targeted cuts, for a few hours. They will be localized on a relatively small scale, in a municipality or a district, and will be warned beforehand.”

She added, there will be no cuts in gas supplies for households.

In a normal situation, Wargon said, the power cuts will not happen in the country.

But given the energy shortage due to the Ukraine war and inflation, all measures are being considered to conserve energy.

EDF, the state-owned electricity giant, has assured of starting all nuclear reactors this winter. Of the 56 operating reactors producing nuclear power, 32 reactors are shut down for stress corrosion and maintenance.

Champs-élysées in Paris, France - Pixabay

The EDF plans to restart 27 nuclear reactors by the end of December, and the remaining 5 by February 2023.

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France derives about 70% of its electricity from nuclear energy. The functioning of the nuclear reactors was also affected due to the historic drought situation this summer when almost all regions of the country were affected by low-water levels.

If the EDF is unable to follow its schedule for restarting the reactors, the energy production is likely to be impacted and will force authorities to undertake exceptional measures like power cuts, Wargon said.

Source: aa

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”