“A major political shock,” says an energy specialist. “Bad news for EDF and for the country,” adds another. The non-renewal of Luc Rémont at the head of EDF, announced by the media Contexthas not finished making waves in the middle. For several weeks, we have felt the blow coming. By deciding to sell part of its electricity at auction without having previously stalled a privileged offer for major French manufacturers, Luc Rémont had, in a way, crossed the red line. Until the end, this training engineer, appointed in December 2022, will have defended his vision of the company. The one in which the French energy giant secures enough financial resources for the future, after a difficult decade and a situation close to the K.-O. in 2022.
Like other bosses before him, Luc Rémont leaves EDF despite a good record. Between the situation of the group on arrival and that of today, the contrast is striking. Electricity production has found colors, despite the closure of the Fessenheim power station. With 89 terawatt hours (TWh) of net exports in 2024, France broke its historic record (77 TWh) dating from 2002. Admittedly, EDF missed a turn in the development of SMRs, small nuclear reactors. But the race is not yet lost. And for the many defenders of Luc Rémont, this hitch barely tarnishes his record.
“Many have thought, at the start, that the costume was a little too big for him; they were pleasantly surprised by his personality, by the vision he could have, by his capacity for resistance to the shareholder state while the latter became a single shareholder again”, judges an observer in the Public Sphere VCOMV study, released last spring. “Some thought he would be a good performer; they were served because we have never known an EDF leader so fiercely defending EDF’s interests,” said another.
“The relationship between the president of EDF and the state is a soap -by itself since 1946,” recalls Alexandre Grillat, secretary general of the CFE Energies. Already in 2009, Pierre Gadonneix had not hesitated to say that the level of electricity prices was 20 % lower than what the reality of costs was. For him, the conclusion was obvious: it was necessary to raise the prices more. Unthinkable for the State! The message would have gone very badly to consumers and therefore voters. The government then decided not to renew the boss’s mandate.
The same score is replayed
Henri Proglio will also make the costs of this kind of arbitration in 2014. The manager ended his mandate with two large orders of EPR (Hinkley Point) in the United Kingdom. But its solo negotiations with China do not go to the public authorities, accustomed to giving specific missions to EDF.
“For years, the same score has been replaying,” said Alexandre Grillat. The State does not understand that even 100 %owned, EDF remains a company. And that EDF employees expect their president that he defends his interests. “Expensive: EDF’s one and only goal cannot be to make” friend prices “to manufacturers.
“When you want to kill your dog, you accuse him of rabies,” said the proverb. “In truth, EDF asks manufacturers a financial contribution to the initial investment [NDLR : sur les nouveaux réacteurs]what they hesitate to do, “explains Hervé Machenaud, former executive director of the house. Some manufacturers also anticipate a future drop in electricity prices linked to probable overproduction due to the maintenance of nuclear and the rapid boom in renewable energies. They play it today in negotiations with EDF.
“For thirty years, the issue of electricity prices has been extremely politicized. So the prices have long remained below economic realities,” said Hervé Machenaud. To add to the difficulties, some manufacturers, who do not really need to be helped, would do “from blackmail to employment, just to fold the ministers”.
Luc Rémont’s close-shop on these questions cost him his place. Bernard Fontana, the current boss of Framatome, was proposed by Emmanuel Macron to succeed him, the parliamentary commissions of the Senate and the National Assembly before validating his designation. Will he be able to navigate between the requirements of the state and the real needs of EDF? “I met him and I find him very skilful, slips Fabien Bouglé, author of Energy war, Posted by Éditions du Rocher. He is the man of the situation in the World War of Energy. Framatome was the target of American Republicans. He has the caliber to take the reins of EDF. “
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