Cordemais Coal Plant: Worker Strike Highlights Uncertain Future

The restart of the Cordemais coal plant, planned to address the cold wave, has been halted by a strike. Workers oppose the scheduled closure and demand guarantees for their future.

Share:

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

The restart of the Cordemais thermal coal plant in Loire-Atlantique was blocked this week by its workers. Planned to meet an anticipated cold wave in France, the temporary restart was disrupted by a strike organized by employees. The site’s unions, including CGT, FO, and CFE-CGC, have declared their refusal to resume operations until concrete guarantees about the industrial future of the site are presented.

EDF, the operator of the plant and a company wholly owned by the French state, announced in late September the cancellation of the Ecocombust project. This initiative aimed to convert the plant to biomass to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using wood waste pellets. However, EDF deemed the project economically unviable, setting the plant on course for permanent closure by 2027.

A Contested Industrial Transition

According to the unions, the industrial conversion proposals put forward by EDF fail to meet workers’ expectations. The company plans to transform the site into a manufacturing hub for nuclear plant pipes, in collaboration with its subsidiary Framatome. This project is expected to create only 100 to 200 jobs, significantly fewer than the current 500 positions, 340 of which are directly linked to plant operations.

In a statement, the unions affirmed that “not a gram of coal will be burned until further notice,” calling for “credible plans for the site’s industrial future.” They also criticized the lack of communication over the past two months, which pushed the workers’ assembly to unanimously vote against restarting operations.

A Tense Energy Context

The Cordemais plant is one of the last two remaining coal plants in France, alongside Saint-Avold in Moselle, operated by GazelEnergie. These facilities operate only occasionally to handle peak electricity demands. In 2023, Cordemais accounted for just 0.1% of French electricity production but remains crucial during high-demand periods.

President Emmanuel Macron had initially supported converting the plant to reconcile energy transition goals with preserving local employment. However, the decision to abandon Ecocombust has disrupted this balance, exacerbating tensions between EDF and its workers.

Limited Prospects

For the local community and officials, the issue extends beyond electricity production. The plant, which provides 500 direct and indirect jobs, is a cornerstone of the regional economy. While manufacturing nuclear components offers an alternative, it is perceived as insufficient to sustain the current industrial base.

EDF, for its part, insists that discussions with trade unions are ongoing. For now, however, dialogue remains stalled, and the future of Cordemais, along with its workforce, remains uncertain.

Chinese buyers begin negotiations for 2026 thermal coal deliveries, favouring shorter contracts to maintain flexibility in a stable price environment.
Queensland coal producers are struggling to rein in costs, which remain above pre-2022 levels as the impact of royalty hikes and margin pressures continues to weigh on the sector.
Coal will temporarily become the main source of electricity in the Midwest markets MISO and SPP during winter, according to the latest federal forecasts.
The Trump administration plans to open millions of federal hectares to coal and ease environmental rules governing this strategic industry.
The integration of private operators into South Africa’s rail network marks a turning point for coal exporters, with a target of 55 million tonnes exported in 2025 from the Richards Bay terminal.
Facing Western restrictions, Russia plans to increase coal deliveries to China, India and Turkey, according to a recent presentation on the sector’s outlook.
The visit of the Pakistani president to Shanghai Electric marks a new strategic phase in China-Pakistan energy cooperation, centred on the Thar mining and power project and local skills development.
Port congestion in Australia has boosted Russian and Indonesian coal exports to South Korea, with both now dominating the market due to lower prices and reliable delivery schedules.
Polish state-owned producer JSW confirms its 13.4 million tonnes production target for 2025 thanks to new equipment coming online, despite recent disruptions at multiple sites.
Russia and Indonesia overtook Australia as South Korea's top thermal coal suppliers in August, driven by lower prices and more reliable logistics amid persistent Australian shipment delays.
Uniper has demolished cooling tower F at its Scholven power plant, marking a new stage in the dismantling of the Gelsenkirchen coal site, where the energy company plans to build a hydrogen-ready gas-fired plant.
Underreported methane emissions from Australian mines could increase steelmakers’ carbon footprint by up to 15%, according to new analysis highlighting major gaps in global supply chains.
The new Russian railway line linking the Elga mine to the Sea of Okhotsk port will reach full capacity in 2026, after an operational testing phase scheduled for 2025.
The Romanian government is asking the European Union for a five-year delay on the closure of 2.6 gigawatts of coal capacity, citing delays in bringing gas and solar alternatives online.
President Gustavo Petro bans all coal exports to Israel, a decision with minor energy effects but strong diplomatic weight, illustrating his anti-Americanism and attempts to reshape Colombia’s domestic politics.
India’s coking coal imports are rising and increasingly split between the United States and Russia, while Australian producers redirect volumes to China; 2025 results confirm a shift in trade flows.
China approved 25 GW in H1 2025 and commissioned 21 GW; the annual total could exceed 80 GW. Proposals reached 75 GW and coal’s share fell to 51% in June, amid declining imports.
Valor Mining Credit Partners completes its first major financing with a secured loan to strengthen the operational capacity of a U.S. mining site.
Amid tensions on the Midwest power grid, Washington orders the continued operation of the J.H. Campbell plant to secure electricity supply over the coming months.
Peabody Energy abandons the acquisition of Anglo American’s Australian coal assets, triggering an arbitration process following the failure of a post-incident agreement at the Moranbah North mine.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.