French gas-fired power generation jumped in November as nuclear output fell

PARIS (Reuters) -- French thermal electricity production led by gas-fired generation hit 6,709 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in November, compensating for the fall in nuclear power output as consumption rose during the same period, grid operator RTE said on Monday.

Gas-fired power generation reached 5,137 GWh or 76% of total thermal power generation in November, its highest level since 2008, RTE said in its monthly report.

"The decline in nuclear production observed since May 2016 continued during the month with a 13% fall compared with the same month in 2015," RTE said, adding that hydroelectric power generation rose during the same period by 20%.

French nuclear power output touched record lows in recent months after nuclear safety authority ASN ordered state-controlled utility EDF to halt production at 12 reactors to carry out safety checks.

EDF has said most of the reactors would be up and running again by the end of December and there would be no problem with French power supplies this winter.

French electricity consumption rose 8% year-on-year in November, due to cold weather, RTE said.

France was still a net electricity exporter during the month, however, although exports continued to decline with the fall in nuclear output, dropping 45%, while imports rose 80%, RTE said.

Reporting by Bate Felix; Editing by Greg Mahlich

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