Question 16638 — energy and fuels

Summary

Ms. Véronique Ludmann draws the attention of the Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty to the implementation of the third multi-annual energy program (PPE 3) and to the balance of the French electricity mix. Adopted by Decree No. 2026 76 of February 12, 2026, PPE 3 retains a strategy combining the revival of nuclear power, construction of six EPR2 reactors, including the first commissioning is expected in 2038, extension and optimization of the existing fleet and controlled development of renewable energies. This balance constitutes the most resilient path to guaranteeing security of supply, energy sovereignty and cost control, away from the two caricatured postures of the scenario based almost exclusively on nuclear power and that based solely on renewables. The financial sustainability of this trajectory, however, constitutes a major point of vigilance. The cost of the six EPR2 program alone is now estimated by EDF at around 73 billion euros, an increase compared to initial estimates and investments in networks and renewables are added to this. At the same time, some public statements suggest a doubling of the electricity bill of French in ten years, a figure disputed by sector analysts, who point out that price changes are also due to adaptation to climate change and the renewal of networks. Clarity on the real and documented impact of PPE 3 on the bill is therefore essential, for public finances as well as for the purchasing power of households and the competitiveness of businesses. This question is all the more sensitive as access regulated by historic nuclear electricity (ARENH) ended on December 31, 2025 and was replaced, since January 1, 2026, by the universal nuclear payment (VNU). This mechanism only redistributes part of EDF's revenue to consumers above high price thresholds; according to estimates from the Energy Regulatory Commission, it should not be triggered in 2026 given the current level of wholesale prices. If the The Government anticipates invoice stability in 2026 and 2027, consumer associations and several experts are questioning the real protection that this system will offer in the event of a rise in prices, in particular for professionals and industrialists, now more exposed to market volatility. Finally, the heatwave of June 2026 illustrated the importance of controllable means and the flexibility of the system: the drop in production of several reactors has led to the use of gas power plants to ensure the balance of the network. PPE 3 also makes the electrification of uses a priority and strengthens the rules for managing renewables. The success of this strategy requires commensurate investments in networks and low-carbon flexibility capacities. She therefore wishes to know the guarantees that the Government intends to provide regarding the financial sustainability of PPE 3 for the consumer and the taxpayer, the real and documented impact of this programming on the electricity bill, the effective protection of consumers, in particular professionals since the end of the ARENH, as well as the timetable of future decisions, in particular on additional EPR2 reactors and on investments in networks and flexibilities.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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