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French minister dismisses fears of power shortage due to freezing weather

Xinhua, January 18, 2017 Adjust font size:

French Ecology Minister Segolene Royal on Wednesday dismissed fears of power shortage after a snap cold which is sweeping France has triggered a rise in electricity consumption.

"There will be no electricity cut-off because all the means have been mobilized,"said Royal.

"Despite the non-availability of six nuclear reactors, there will be no electricity cut because today with very good weather conditions, renewable energies, wind and solar will produce eight gigawatt, the equivalent to what eight nuclear reactors produce," she added.

After a meeting on government plan to face cold snap, the ecology minister noted that "France's new energy system and law of energy transition allow to resist the cold snap."

A cold and dry weather from central Europe caused icy temperatures across French regions with thermostats expected at minus 3 degrees Celsius in Paris and minus 12 degrees in mountainous region with winds making people feel colder, according to Meteo France, the country's weather agency.

The cold snap would be relatively moderate compared to the one that gripped France in 2012 and 2010, it added.

Nevertheless, the government said it has been taking precautions by providing 130,000 shelters for homeless people, Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said. Endit