āCatastrophicā winter drought in France bodes ill for Europeās power production in 2023
Handelsblatt / Euractiv / Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę
A severe winter drought in France is causing worries that the countryās energy production could be impacted throughout the year, compounding an already tense energy supply situation across Europe, business daily HandelsblattĀ . A dry spell lasting more than 32 days since the end of January has made the current winter the driest period registered in the country since full records began in 1959 and raised severe concerns about the consequences for agriculture, energy and ecosystems. In a situation described by environment minister Christophe Bechu as ācatastrophic,ā the government introduced a state of emergency and corresponding water saving measures at an unusually early time of the year. According to Bechu, water supply is even more threatened than in 2022, when a prolonged drought led to throttled hydro and nuclear power production and prompted strict water saving measures especially in the south of the country. Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę policy observer Jean-Marc Jancovici said the lack of rain and snow will again suppress energy generation from hydropower and nuclear plants, which need river water for cooling. The drought is also affecting neighbouring states, such as Spain, Italy or Switzerland.
¹ó°ł²¹²Ō³¦±šĢżĀ for the first time in over 40 years, as water scarcity had caused a severe reduction in hydropower production and added pressure to an already difficult situation for its ageing nuclear power plant fleet, Euractiv reported in February. Germany, itself under immense pressure due to gas shortages in the energy crisis, delivered the bulk of Franceās energy imports.