As Russia’s war in Ukraine continues into its seventh month, French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne has urged businesses to cut back on energy use in the autumn. She also hinted at rationing if usage does not fall sufficiently on a voluntary basis. The next step would be power cuts.
Monaco is totally dependent on electricity supplies from the French grid.
Underlining the level of unease in Paris, a special commission with President Macron, the Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire as members, will meet on Friday to discuss next steps.
Although on paper France is less dependent on Russian energy imports than Germany and Italy, half of the country’s nuclear power stations are offline with maintenance problems.
The government’s push for lower usage on the grounds of civic responsibility is greatly helped by higher prices.
FILE PHOTO: France’s PM, Élisabeth Borne. Reuters
