The four main unions in the energy sector called for a strike by EDF employees on Wednesday to protest against the sale of electricity at reduced prices.
Faced with soaring energy prices, the government has drawn up an arsenal of measures to contain bills and honor its promise to limit the increase in regulated electricity prices to 4% in 2022, in a context sensitive to a few weeks before the presidential election. It thus asked EDF to increase by 20 terawatt hours (TWh) the volume of nuclear electricity sold at a reduced price to its competitors, to increase it from 100 to 120 TWh on an exceptional basis.
This measure will have “a cost for EDF of between 7.7 billion and 8.4 billion euros depending on market prices”, indicated the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire. After this announcement, the four main unions in the energy sector called for a strike by EDF employees on Wednesday.
Christophe Castaner does not understand the anger of employees
The boss of LREM deputies Christophe Castaner said on Wednesday that he did not understand the anger of EDF employees, on strike against the request of the State-shareholder to sell more electricity at low prices to its competitors in order to contain household and business bills.
“No, I do not understand it because when you are proud to be in a public company like EDF, you also assume to contribute to national solidarity”, he affirmed on France 2, questioned on “the anger” of the employees on strike this Wednesday.
He recalled that EDF was “a public company 80% owned by the State (which is therefore part) of the heritage of the French” and assured that the price of electricity would have “increased by 44%” without the measures taken. by the government.
“When EDF has experienced difficulties, the State has always been present. And the State will always be present”, added Mr. Castaner.
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