This is a record that has not been broken for more than 20 years: net French electricity exports are expected to reach a historic level in 2024. France supplies its European neighbors: the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and also Spain which, in return, exports its solar electricity to France. A success due in part to some of the cheapest electricity on the continent. However, the price of electricity in France remains very high.
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France expects to export 90 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity this year, or 90 billion kilowatt hours (kWh). The record of 77 terawatt hours (TWh) established in 2002 is already almost broken even before winter enters.
Two explanations: first, French nuclear production left after two years 2022 and 2023 during which half of the reactors were shut down due to maintenance or safety problems. Then, the French consumed less: saving reflexes painfully acquired during the period of high inflation have persisted. The industry’s difficulties also come into play, because a factory that closes is a factory that does not consume electricity.
However, electricity remains very expensive in France, including for businesses. It is true that the situation is improving compared to 2023. For industrial customers, the bill this year should be 20% lower than last year, according to estimates from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies . But even after deducting state aid, electricity remains 84% more expensive than in 2021.
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