High temperatures to curtail French nuclear capacity

French nuclear capacity could be curtailed by 2.6GW for most of this week because of unseasonably warm weather, state-controlled utility EdF said.

The two units at the 2.6GW Golfech plant may be disconnected from the grid on 31 July-2 August owing to "temperature forecasts on the Garonne". Water from the river is used to cool the plant.

Maximum temperatures in Toulouse — which is upstream of Golfech on the Garonne — are forecast to average 39.5°C on 30-31 July, 11°C above seasonal norms for the period, before falling to long-term levels on 2 August. Temperatures in the area rose to 37.5°C yesterday.

An average of 27.7GW of French nuclear capacity — out of a total of 62.2GW — is already scheduled to be off line this weekend for planned maintenance. But this is much lower than earlier this month, with unavailability averaging 31.1GW on 1-27 July.

French prompt power contract prices rose following the announcement, with France set to remain the premium market in central-western Europe for the rest of this week. Today's latest trade on the French weekend contract for 1-2 August delivery was at €27.25/MWh, compared with an assessment of €24.60/MWh yesterday. The corresponding German contract's last trade was at €24.10/MWh today.

And the French daily base-load contract for 31 July delivery last traded at €39.35/MWh, up from €39/MWh at yesterday's close. The German equivalent changed hands at €35/MWh at the same time, up from €34.25/MWh yesterday.

By Bilal Muftuoglu