“We are asking citizens, French women and men, to make an effort,” said government spokesman Olivier Véran after the Council of Ministers, believing that “there is no small gesture” in terms of energy saving. “Every energy that we are collectively able to save today is energy that we will be sure to have available next fall and winter,” he explained, before citing a few examples that would reduce consumption.
“When we go on weekends or on vacation, we unplug as many electrical outlets as possible because otherwise they continue to consume energy”, he underlined, also calling for the wifi to be cut, to “lower a little air conditioning, now that the temperatures are called to decrease” and to turn off the lights in the rooms which are not used.
“These daily gestures have a very strong impact on our energy consumption. It’s good for our reserves and obviously for the planet, ”insisted the spokesperson, after recalling that the State will also take measures to save energy and that companies are also called upon to do so.
Olivier Véran, however, ruled out any constraint to force the French to save energy: “It’s not our philosophy”, he assured.
Dealing with a possible disruption of Russian supplies
Europeans fear a harsh winter and fear that Russia will cut off the gas in the fall. The European Commission also presented on Wednesday an arsenal of measures which will allow the Twenty-Seven to face a possible interruption of Russian supplies – which constituted 40% of their imports until last year.
This plan provides for a 15% reduction in European gas demand to overcome the fall in Russian deliveries, in particular by limiting the heating of certain buildings or by encouraging companies to reduce their needs.
The Nord Stream gas pipeline, through which passes a third of Russian gas deliveries to the EU, has been closed since July 11 for routine maintenance which is due to end on Thursday. But the Europeans fear that Moscow will not reopen the tap. In previous weeks, Russia had already slashed 60% of its shipments via Nord Stream.