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The French government has issued an exclusive mining exploration permit to TBH2 Aquitaine to explore natural hydrogen in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, bringing the young company’s total number of authorisations to two.
Niger’s military regime disputes theft allegations by French prosecutors after uranium stock vanished from a nationalised site previously operated by Orano.

Gardanne biomass power plant restarts despite criticism over subsidies

After ten years of transition, the Provence thermal power plant now runs on biomass, but its economic model and forest impact continue to raise serious concerns.
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Ørsted has signed an agreement to divest 55% of its Greater Changhua 2 offshore wind farm to Cathay Life Insurance, valuing the transaction at approximately DKK5bn ($735mn).
BayWa r.e. continues its strategic transformation with the sale of 2.2 GW of projects, a withdrawal from Asian markets, internal reorganisation, and a rebranding planned for 2026.

France scraps Arenh and promises stable electricity prices through 2027

A new pricing framework will apply from January 2026 in France, replacing the Arenh mechanism. The state says the reform will not lead to higher bills for most consumers.
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French group Nexans initiates the sale of its Autoelectric subsidiary to India’s Motherson for €207mn ($227mn), marking its full exit from non-electrification activities.
Bourbon enters a new strategic phase following the arrival of Davidson Kempner and Fortress, who have become majority shareholders after a financial restructuring approved by the French courts.

France: electricity bills to remain stable in 2026 despite the end of Arenh

The Ministry of the Economy forecasts stable regulated tariffs in 2026 and 2027 for 19.75 million households, despite the removal of the Arenh mechanism and the implementation of a new tariff framework.
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The federation of the electricity sector proposes a comprehensive plan to reduce dependence on fossil fuels by replacing their use in transport, industry and housing with locally produced electricity.
Aegis Critical Energy Defence Corp. and Seetel New Energy have created Cordelia BESS to respond to Ontario’s LT2 call for proposals, aimed at strengthening energy capacity through battery storage.

Lhyfe expects EUR10mn revenue in 2025 and cuts costs from 2026

Lhyfe aims to double its revenue next year, refocuses industrial priorities and plans a 30% cost reduction starting in 2026 to accelerate profitability.
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The government confirms the continuation of the high-voltage line construction to Fos-Berre, despite criticism from the public debate and local tensions regarding environmental and economic impacts.
Mundi Énergies partners with Haffner Energy to create a network of twenty multi-energy hubs in Quebec, using residual biomass to produce renewable gas and strengthen Canada’s energy independence.

Newcleo launches European safeguards process for lead-cooled modular reactor

French nuclear reactor developer Newcleo has submitted its lead-cooled small modular reactor design to Euratom, initiating the first regulatory phase to integrate nuclear non-proliferation safeguards at the European level.
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French state utility EDF has increased the maximum estimated cost for building six new nuclear reactors to €72.8 billion ($85.29 billion), representing a 40% rise over the original figure.
The government has postponed the release of the new Multiannual Energy Programme to early 2026, delayed by political tensions over the balance between nuclear and renewables.

France: the Council of State bans coalbed methane exploitation in Lorraine

The Council of State has cancelled the authorisation to exploit coalbed methane in Lorraine, citing risks to the region's main aquifer and bringing an end to a legal battle that began over a decade ago.
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Technique Solaire has secured €40mn ($43.5mn) in junior debt from BNP Paribas Asset Management to structure two solar portfolios totalling 392 MWp across France, Spain and the Netherlands.
Independent power producer Neoen has secured six agrivoltaic projects totalling 124 MWp, reinforcing its position as the leading winner in French solar tenders since 2021.
Backed by Meridiam, Verkor's Dunkirk facility begins testing ahead of planned production launch in early 2026, with Renault as a primary client.
France Chimie warns that 47 industrial sites in France and up to 350 across the European Union could shut down without an emergency response to the escalating trade tensions with the United States and China.

Greece establishes strategic map to regulate the exploitation of its maritime space

The Greek government formalises maritime zone planning to optimise resource exploitation, particularly in the energy sector, under European and international legal frameworks.
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The restart of the Flamanville EPR reactor, initially scheduled for 17 April, has now been postponed to 21 April following extended maintenance operations, according to a statement from Électricité de France.
The Kremlin has confirmed its willingness to actively support a diplomatic resolution on Iran’s nuclear file, ahead of a new round of talks between Tehran and Washington scheduled for this Saturday.

Low-carbon hydrogen: France acknowledges delay and lowers its 2035 targets

Paris scales back its hydrogen roadmap, reducing the target to 4.5 GW by 2030 and 8 GW by 2035 amid weak demand and technological delays.
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The International Energy Agency anticipates weaker oil demand growth in 2025, driven by US tariff tensions disrupting market stability and weighing on the shale oil sector.
TotalEnergies expands its liquefied natural gas portfolio with a long-term supply deal in Texas and a sales contract to the Dominican Republic starting in 2027.

Google commits to Taiwanese geothermal energy with historic Baseload Capital deal

Google signs a power purchase agreement with Baseload Capital to develop 10 MW of geothermal energy in Taiwan, doubling the country’s current commercial geothermal capacity.
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The coal-fired plant in Saint-Avold will be converted to gas and biogas under a recently approved law, preserving 500 jobs without public financial support.
Industry Minister Marc Ferracci criticised the Rassemblement National's stance on energy, accusing it of hindering planned investments in renewables in favour of fossil fuel imports.

Iranian foreign minister to meet Lavrov in Moscow ahead of Washington nuclear talks

Abbas Araghchi will meet Sergey Lavrov in Russia before resuming nuclear discussions with the United States, scheduled for 19 April in Muscat under Omani mediation.
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The French government has delayed by 24 hours the presentation of its new hydrogen strategy, now scheduled for Wednesday, amid expectations from industry facing weak demand and high production costs.
Groupe VALOREM secured €22mn in funding with Arkéa Banque to develop 63 rooftop photovoltaic plants in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie, consolidating its model in a shifting French solar market.

McPhy Energy initiates conciliation proceedings to secure industrial continuity

Facing cash flow difficulties, McPhy Energy launches a judicial conciliation and issues a call for bids for a potential asset sale before the end of June.
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Havre-based shipowner Towt continues its sail-powered maritime operations between Le Havre and New York despite new US tariffs, while announcing fleet expansion to eight vessels by 2027.
In Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, an experimental station is assessing the economic feasibility of extracting lithium from rocks, in connection with Imerys’ future mining site in Allier.

The global green hydrogen market to reach $19.2bn by 2032

The green hydrogen industry is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 45.6% through 2032, driven by industrial demand, hydrogen mobility, and public decarbonisation policies.
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EDF announced on April 10 the extension of the shutdown of the Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor, initially scheduled to restart on April 12, due to new maintenance operations within its nuclear zone.
Prime Minister François Bayrou has announced the imminent release of the revised hydrogen strategy, awaited for months by industry players facing insufficient demand.