Consumption (468 terawatt-hours, TWh) was fueled by the economic recovery. The industrial sector drew 8% more current than in 2020, with, however, differences depending on the sector: +20% in the steel industry, while automobile construction is still down.
Nuclear, first source of production
On the production side (522.9 TWh, i.e. -2.7% compared to 2019), 92% of the volume came from carbon-free sources, with very limited use of fossil thermal production. The carbon intensity of the French electricity mix is thus one of the lowest in the world, six times less than the European average.
France has also retained its position as Europe’s leading electricity exporter, according to the national electricity report. Exchanges (87 TWh of exports and 44 TWh of imports) vary greatly according to periods and borders. The main source of production, the atom, provided 361 TWh, or 69% of French electricity.
Less renewable production
The year 2021 also saw an unprecedented development of solar capacities (nearly 2.7 GW additional, i.e. three times the average rate of recent years). However, total renewable generation fell in 2021 due to unfavorable weather conditions for wind power, i.e. -7%; and hydraulics, -5%.