The agents of EDF, on strike against the pension reform project, proceeded in the night from Wednesday to Thursday to numerous reductions in electricity production, for a total of just over 3,000 MW. The nuclear power plants of Saint-Alban (Isère), Paluel (Seine-Maritime), Tricastin (Drôme), Flamanville (Manche), Gravelines (North) and the thermal power plant of Martigues have carried out these load reductions, according to the website of EDF, without causing power outages for customers.
“We demonstrated that we could be everywhere and therefore we are ready for France at a standstill” and the national day of action on March 7, declares Fabrice Coudour, federal secretary of the energy branch of the CGT. The strikers, who had made many hydroelectric power stations unavailable for the network on Wednesday, up to 4,000 MW according to the CGT, lifted most of the pickets in the evening. “We are not yet in the holding of strike pickets 24 hours a day,” continues the trade unionist.
Action still in progress in Isère
The action at the Grand’Maison dam (Isère), the most powerful power station in France (1,800 MW), was however still in progress on Thursday morning and should continue throughout the day, according to the union.
At the Cheylas power station (Isère), the strikers “not only cut production but they turned the power station on pump during rush hour”, and therefore caused electricity consumption, specifies Fabrice Coudour.
Six storage sites targeted
On the gas side, six storage sites were the scene of actions of filtering dams on the part of the strikers of Storengy, a subsidiary of Engie, in particular the very large storage of Gournay-sur-Aronde (Oise), which serves the entire region of Hauts-de-France, whose strikers deny access to the site to companies and service providers responsible for maintenance operations.
Actions of this type were also carried out in the storage sites of Chémery (Loir-et-Cher), Céré-la-Ronde (Indre-et-Loire), Saint-Illiers-la-Ville, Beynes (Yvelines) and Saint -Clair-sur-Epte (Val d’Oise), according to the CGT.