France to invest in renewables in 2005-2015 for energy security

London (Platts)--11Jul2006

Investments in French power generation will focus on renewable energy
sources in the period 2005 to 2015 to sure up the country's energy supply
security, industry minister Francois Loos said in a statement late Monday.
Along with the aim of producing 21% of French power output through
renewable sources by 2010, old oil fired plants would be converted back into
use and new fossil fuel powered plant build would take place, the minister
said at the presentation of the government's long-term power investment
program. Funds would be directed towards hydroelectricity, wind power and
biomass projects to reach the 21% target.
The question of whether or not to replace French nuclear supply beyond
2015 could be tackled "from a good position," Loos said since the European
pressurized reactor at Flamanville was still scheduled to come online in 2012.
The minister said that 2,600 MW of oil-fired plants would be converted
back into use by Electricite de France as well as the construction of 500 MW
of new fossil fuel plants. Also, 800 MW of new semi-baseload and peak supply
from "essentially CCGT" units would be brought online by 2010 and 5,200 MW of
this type of generation capacity would be completed by 2015.
The government would also push for increased energy efficiency schemes,
towards which Eur1 billion ($1.27 billion) was spent in 2005, the minister
said.

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