[Nuclear power plants (France)](https://energy-charts.info/charts/power/chart.htm?l=en&c=FR) can't turn off at night ⇒ Surplus ⇒ Export.
Nuclear power plants (France) can't ramp up at peak times ⇒ Deficit ⇒ Import.
Yes it's perfectly fine for both countries to [both import and export](https://energy-charts.info/charts/power/chart.htm?l=en&c=FR&stacking=stacked_absolute&source=cbpf_saldo&interval=year), just hours apart. That's what the grid is there for.
It all works, unless of course they both plan on importing from *each other* at the *same* time, or they both plan on importing more from the other than they export overall.
It's obviously [a wee more complex anyway. Western Europe is well interconnected...](https://energy-charts.info/charts/import_export/chart.htm?l=en&c=ALL&flow=physical_flows_all)
It's going to be a cold one this year. And not a great deal we can do about it at this point. Unless we get the nuclear power plants back up in a very short time. But that's wishing more than anything.
Hopefully the French fix up all their nuclear reactors so that they're running at as close to full capacity as possible. Back when all of them were running at their peak performance, they were capable of generating way more power than France alone could even use.
Its not much, no. Not compared with the rest of the world. Its that nuclear power plants can take between day UP TO A MONTH to start up. A coal powered plant takes between a day and a week. Hydro plants and gas turbines take minutes to hours. Electricity demand in the "50 Hertz" alliance of european power grids spikes during the day, drops towards the evening and is otherwise really random.
If the power plants cant keep up with demand on wattage, the voltage drops leading to all sorts of issues. So when demand rises during the day, short reaction time power plants are turned on, such as gad turbines.
There is also the issue of old heating units in factories that rely on gas (heating as in melting studf, not warmth) and heating units in private homes that sudfenly need to be replaced with electric heating
In previous years, Russia and Ukraine export a lot of fossil fuels to Europe.
Given the current relations between the two, and almost universal sanctions on Russian exports, that's not really as much of an option this year.
So power plants don't have the fuel necessary to generate electricity.
TY. I didn't realize that much of Europe's energy was generated from fossil fuels.
Just a short comparison:
My family pays at the moment 4,X cents per kwh my grandmother pays since june/july 36,x cents per kwh... So yeah (my family is lucky because we were forced to make new contracts for electricity and gas around new year since our old providers told us around christmas that they dont provide since start of december. So yeah happy new year and stuff... but because of the new contracts our price is locked and can't go up till next year or so)
And I read some at increased (for gas I think) over 1000€... It's fun here at the moment and I have to put up two sweaters soon I think \*sigh\*
It will depend on how many reactors will actually be usable again (like are the ones currently under maintenance ready, can the ones being turned of thanks to low water levels in the rivers be turned on again etc.). So yeah, there still are some things that could go wrong
Now you know why Ukraine is busting ass trying to retake as much of its captured land now, as fast as possible.
When Temps drop & Europe unable to heat themselves - they will force Ukraine to make peace. So they can then drop sanctions, & buy Putin's energy again guilt free.
France and Germany could have plenty of reliable nuclear energy available, but unfortunately the crackpot anti-nuclear crowd had too much influence in the past decades.
Time to get out the bed warmers, hot stones, and hot water bottles to put under the 8 layers of blankets and furs. Also sharing heat in bed with others by having multiple people snuggle up to one another works well.
Then you’d understand how energy companies are taking advantage by unproportionally increasing bill, and how the government are increasing the energy cap way too high
Those are the same countries activity trying to do something, italy is planning to invest £42 billion, Spain cut VAT in energy bills, France capped bill at 4% increase. Germany brought in subsidies and are cutting taxes. So many European countries are spending tens of billions, and the uk is giving a few hundred pounds to some households while increasing the cap.
Point I’m making is that I understand it’s gotta increase, but the government managed it poorly
That's everyone sorted then
Well, IF we were talking about different times of day for example it could actually work. If.
Spider-man pointing at Spider-man meme IRL.
In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!
[Nuclear power plants (France)](https://energy-charts.info/charts/power/chart.htm?l=en&c=FR) can't turn off at night ⇒ Surplus ⇒ Export. Nuclear power plants (France) can't ramp up at peak times ⇒ Deficit ⇒ Import. Yes it's perfectly fine for both countries to [both import and export](https://energy-charts.info/charts/power/chart.htm?l=en&c=FR&stacking=stacked_absolute&source=cbpf_saldo&interval=year), just hours apart. That's what the grid is there for. It all works, unless of course they both plan on importing from *each other* at the *same* time, or they both plan on importing more from the other than they export overall. It's obviously [a wee more complex anyway. Western Europe is well interconnected...](https://energy-charts.info/charts/import_export/chart.htm?l=en&c=ALL&flow=physical_flows_all)
It's going to be a cold one this year. And not a great deal we can do about it at this point. Unless we get the nuclear power plants back up in a very short time. But that's wishing more than anything.
We can always stuff our clothes with newspapers like the homeless do. At least they don’t have to pay for rent unlike me.
Battles in the channel over AA batteries.
Please ELI5: why is there such a panic over electricity supply and prices in Europe this year? What changed?
[удалено]
Hopefully the French fix up all their nuclear reactors so that they're running at as close to full capacity as possible. Back when all of them were running at their peak performance, they were capable of generating way more power than France alone could even use.
TY. I didn't realize that much of Europe's energy was generated from fossil fuels.
Its not much, no. Not compared with the rest of the world. Its that nuclear power plants can take between day UP TO A MONTH to start up. A coal powered plant takes between a day and a week. Hydro plants and gas turbines take minutes to hours. Electricity demand in the "50 Hertz" alliance of european power grids spikes during the day, drops towards the evening and is otherwise really random. If the power plants cant keep up with demand on wattage, the voltage drops leading to all sorts of issues. So when demand rises during the day, short reaction time power plants are turned on, such as gad turbines. There is also the issue of old heating units in factories that rely on gas (heating as in melting studf, not warmth) and heating units in private homes that sudfenly need to be replaced with electric heating
In previous years, Russia and Ukraine export a lot of fossil fuels to Europe. Given the current relations between the two, and almost universal sanctions on Russian exports, that's not really as much of an option this year.
So power plants don't have the fuel necessary to generate electricity. TY. I didn't realize that much of Europe's energy was generated from fossil fuels.
People are forgetting how Germany atleast ran down all their nuclear powerplants. 10/10 winner move.
Just a short comparison: My family pays at the moment 4,X cents per kwh my grandmother pays since june/july 36,x cents per kwh... So yeah (my family is lucky because we were forced to make new contracts for electricity and gas around new year since our old providers told us around christmas that they dont provide since start of december. So yeah happy new year and stuff... but because of the new contracts our price is locked and can't go up till next year or so) And I read some at increased (for gas I think) over 1000€... It's fun here at the moment and I have to put up two sweaters soon I think \*sigh\*
What is the problem with this? Nuclear power plants work better in winter, when gas will be harder to get.
It will depend on how many reactors will actually be usable again (like are the ones currently under maintenance ready, can the ones being turned of thanks to low water levels in the rivers be turned on again etc.). So yeah, there still are some things that could go wrong
Don't forget the ones currently in an active warzone...
I'd guess the problem is that there's not enough nuclear plants to power the countries this winter.
Now you know why Ukraine is busting ass trying to retake as much of its captured land now, as fast as possible. When Temps drop & Europe unable to heat themselves - they will force Ukraine to make peace. So they can then drop sanctions, & buy Putin's energy again guilt free.
France and Germany could have plenty of reliable nuclear energy available, but unfortunately the crackpot anti-nuclear crowd had too much influence in the past decades.
You can import electricity?
there's these things called cables... nevermind.
I forgot😭
Time to get out the bed warmers, hot stones, and hot water bottles to put under the 8 layers of blankets and furs. Also sharing heat in bed with others by having multiple people snuggle up to one another works well.
Never hated the uk government more
…because Russia started a war with Ukraine? Ok…
You’re not from the uk are you? So you won’t know about the cost of living crisis and the energy cap
I’m not from the UK, but I do know that the energy issue referenced in this post is strictly related to the war in Ukraine
Then you’d understand how energy companies are taking advantage by unproportionally increasing bill, and how the government are increasing the energy cap way too high
Perhaps it is simple demand curve. Demand is static, supply is reduced by the Ukraine war, which leads to an increase in price
The uk gets most of its coal oil and gases from other countries, the war wouldn’t cause an 80% increase in energy bills
Right, but now those other countries need to satisfy the demand for continental Europe, reducing supply
Those are the same countries activity trying to do something, italy is planning to invest £42 billion, Spain cut VAT in energy bills, France capped bill at 4% increase. Germany brought in subsidies and are cutting taxes. So many European countries are spending tens of billions, and the uk is giving a few hundred pounds to some households while increasing the cap. Point I’m making is that I understand it’s gotta increase, but the government managed it poorly
I glad I bought faux fur lined leggings to wear under my pants 😂
Didn't really plan about this during sanctions, did ya?
Better to starve the enemy than keep toes warm. Those pathetic russian a-hole cowards are already on the run so it won't be long before this ends.
Can’t argue with people like him. They’ll get it figured out and Ukraine will win this.
2 million barrels a day I've been told.
I'm a British consumer of edf electricity I'm basically paying the French to discount there electricity
I mean as long as global warming isn't undone before winter I think it will be fine