France could be plunged into darkness this winter

In an interview with radio France Info, Piecaczyk said there was a risk of a power outage in January as the country struggled to restart its nuclear reactors that had been shut down for maintenance.

France generates roughly 70 percent of its electricity from a nuclear fleet of 56 reactors, of which 22 are currently closed, causing a sharp drop in energy production.

The cuts have exacerbated energy woes as the EU struggles with a sharp decline in natural gas deliveries from Russia.

Although France is less dependent on Russian energy than other EU countries, the lack of domestic electricity generation normally provided by the nuclear industry forces the country to buy electricity from its neighbors.

The French government has drawn up a contingency plan and instructed local authorities on how to handle potential power outages and prioritize the allocation of electricity.

While officials claim that the power outages won’t be across the country and will only affect a small portion of the grid, millions of people are at risk of being without electricity when demand for heating homes peaks.