Nuclear First: France's €10B Electrification Pact Shifts Power Strategy

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--France has officially launched a landmark €10 billion (US$11.4 billion) annual National Electrification Pact aimed at doubling domestic electricity to 60% of the country's total energy mix by 2030. Signed by President Emmanuel Macron alongside 200 corporate leaders, this state-backed strategy seeks absolute energy sovereignty by aggressively phasing out imported fossil fuels.

Industrial Info Resources data show 2,847 capital power projects worth US$265.42 billion in France.

The Ministry of Energy Transition, under the final PPE3 (Programmations Pluriannuelles de l'Énergie or Multiannual Energy Program) directive, prioritizes a massive nuclear baseline. It targets 380 terawatt-hours of nuclear output by 2030 by extending the lifespan of France's 57 operational reactors and greenlighting six new EPR2 units, which are modernized, high-power flagship nuclear reactors designed by state utility Electricite de France (EDF).

France is scaling back future renewable energy targets despite a surge in solar capacity that has caused frequent oversupply and negative wholesale electricity prices. To counter midday gluts and enhance network resilience against summer heatwaves, Réseau de Transport d'Électricité is fast-tracking a €100 billion (US$113.7 billion) grid modernization plan dedicated to overhauling France's high-voltage electrical transmission network through 2035 Epsilon cable. This massive capital commitment operates within a broader national framework and includes €53 billion (US$60.3 billion) strictly locked in for major infrastructure projects commissioned through 2040.

Within this overarching strategy, RTE is deploying immediate, targeted investments to stabilize the market: €3.5 billion (US$ 4 billion) is allocated to a 4.5-gigawatt utility battery storage network to absorb midday solar peaks, while €1.2 billion (US$1.37 billion) is dedicated to expanding cross-border interconnectors to export excess green power to neighbouring European grids.

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