Fessenheim: what is behind the silence EDF – Challenges.fr

Silence radio. EDF declined to comment on reports of the Ministry of Energy regarding compensation of a minimum of EUR 400 million it would receive upon closing of the Fessenheim plant. In spring, when Segolene Royal proposed a compensation of 80 and 100 million for the closure of the two reactors Alsace, staff elected shouted to the “provocation”. In 2014, the parliamentary report of Deputies Hervé Mariton (UMP) and Marc Goua (PS) was estimated at 5 billion euros the cost of closure.

A few years earlier, the former CEO Henry Proglio, speaking of compensation to … 15 billion. How very cunning Proglio he had reached the astronomical sum? By a somewhat specious. He was referring to EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ) Central (500 million) and considered that it could, as is the case in the United STATES, have a life of 60 years. Is still run thirty. Thirty times give 500 million 15 billion.

This figure must now be reassessed downward because of wholesale electricity prices collapsed, while the production costs of nuclear power plants increased due to the post Fukushima standards. Following various operations we do with you, the expert Franck Rabut, CEO Novawatt electrician, said today the Ebitda of the two reactors Alsatian turns rather around EUR 170 million.

from 15 billion … 400 million

with the Proglio reasoning compensation over thirty years, is $ 5.1 billion. Subtracting 1.5 billion for maintenance and security costs for the next decades, reaching 3.6 billion. Well above the 400 million proposed figure. But EDF does not protest. The electrician knows the saying: a loaf is better than two in the bush. The $ 400 million may seem small, but EDF is now in smaller form. And is not able to play the big guys when its shareholder, the state has promised to inject 3 billion euros.

Then there Fessenheim in itself even. A real con game. Its closure, as we know, comes from a campaign promise to François Hollande during the campaign of 2012. The plant was originally to stop the end of 2016, simultaneously with the placing on the Flamanville network 3. But as Norman EPR is late and will not be launched until 2018 or 2019, the closure of Fessenheim is all postponed.

Now, two cases arise. If François Hollande is elected, negotiations will then enter the hard. With the opening match of actors who also conspicuous by their discretion. These partners EDF Fessenheim: the German utility EnBW and Swiss Alpiq, Axpo and BKW. Backed by consulting firms, those firms that receive electricity in proportion to their participation, or 32.5% of the total, will then have plenty of time to contest the 400 million euros proposed by Ségolène Royal. The state could then decide to close another plant. Since the closure of Fessenheim is not in the energy transition law.

If a straight back chair at the Elysee Palace next year, the situation is so very simple. There nothing will happen because all the opposition candidates, Nicolas Sarkozy Alain Juppe, are favorable to the extension of Fessenheim. In this highly controversial context, we understand the EDF reasons to want to stay back.