France’s nuclear troubles worrying UK ahead of winter

Bloomberg

Electricite de France SA’s (EDF) nuclear-generation problems are not just a concern at home. They’re causing a headache for the UK too.
Britain’s electricity system is facing a repeat of last winter, according to Fintan Slye, director of National Grid Plc’s network operator. That was when the buffer of spare generation capacity tightened, sending prices soaring.
The warning is in part due to plunging output from reactors in France, which has forced EDF to draw in supplies from connected markets such as the UK. Several of the utility’s plants are halted for repairs, and their timely return to service will have a significant impact on Britain’s security of supply.
“In the French nuclear fleet there are currently a number of outages,” Slye told delegates at a conference in Oxford, England. “We’re looking at those to see, will they get back in time and what will that mean for
interconnector flows?”
The UK government has urged households to think carefully about how much electricity they use, and to cut back where they can. Securing energy supplies will be “fairly challenging” this winter, Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said.
Historically a reliable exporter, France will likely need to import from countries connected to its grid this winter. Britain should be able to meet demand from its neighbor, Slye said, adding that the UK can also draw in supplies from Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium.
“The concept of mutual support in times of stress is there and will always be there,” even though Russia’s war in Ukraine makes security of supply across Europe “quite difficult,” he said.
Even if Russia cuts gas flows, National Grid’s modeling shows the lights in the UK will stay on, Slye said.