France Is Expecting A Total Cutoff Of Russian Natural Gas

French Minister for the Economy and Finances Bruno Le Maire listens to questions during the press conference following the weekly cabinet meeting in Paris on July 7, 2022. Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP  

National Post/Reuters: France prepares for total cutoff of Russian gas  

The government is also looking company by company to see which can be forced to lower production to save energy if necessary  

AIX-EN-PROVENCE — The French government is preparing for a total cutoff of Russian gas supplies, which it sees as the most likely scenario in its forward planning, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday. 

With about 17 per cent of its supply coming from Russia, France is less dependent on Russian gas than some of its neighbours, but the government has been preparing contingency plans. 

A cutoff is particularly problematic now because France’s nuclear power generation would struggle to pick up the slack as many reactors are currently down for maintenance.  

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Update #1: France’s Le Maire: Total Russian gas cutoff is ‘most likely’ scenario (Politico).  

Update #2: French Minister Says Russian Gas Cutoff Most Likely Scenario (Bloomberg)  

WNU Editor: The French are not the only ones who are expecting a natural gas cut-off .... Germany braces for ‘nightmare’ of Russia turning off gas for good (The Guardian). And while there are some alternatives to meet a Russian gas cutoff .... Factbox-Europe's energy alternatives if Russian gas flows stop (Reuters), the unreliability of these supplies and the high cost is causing concerns if not panic .... Op-Ed: Energy supply fears have Europe in a panic as it tries to avert a full-blown crisis (CNBC).