“Be at the rendezvous of sobriety” to avoid energy rationing. This is Emmanuel Macron’s appeal to the French launched this Monday, September 5. Speaking to the press after a videoconference interview with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz devoted to the energy crisis in Europe, the Head of State asked the French to achieve 10% energy savings. This “energy sobriety can allow us to save 10% of our consumption”, he estimated.
“We have our destiny in hand,” said the President of the Republic, calling for “changing behaviors” such as “putting the air conditioning a little less strong” and “the heating a little less strong than usual” when ‘it will be cold, citing the temperature of 19 degrees in homes. “If we know how to save energy everywhere, there will be no rationing and no cuts. There is no fatality,” he continued. “The cut will only come as a last resort.”
Emmanuel Macron also announced that France was committed to delivering more gas to Germany, which could supply it with electricity, if the energy crisis required it this winter. “We are going to finalize the gas connections to be able to deliver gas to Germany (…) if there is a need for solidarity” and the latter “will put itself in a position to produce more electricity and from us (in ) bring in peak situations,” said the French president.
In addition, the President of the Republic said on Monday “in favor of common gas purchasing practices” in Europe, to buy “cheaper”, as well as a cap on the price of Russian gas delivered by pipeline. “We are in favor of common gas purchasing practices (…) this would allow Europe by buying together to buy cheaper”, he assured. “If the Commission were to decide to put a ceiling on the price of gas purchased through the gas pipelines from Russia, France will support such a measure”, he added.
The Head of State also delivered France’s position on a possible reform of the wholesale electricity market in Europe, saying he was in favor of mechanisms to reduce prices after the historic records seen this summer. “We are defending a European contribution mechanism (…), which would therefore be requested from energy operators”, declared Emmanuel Macron, while the European Commission is preparing its own reform plan. “This contribution could then be paid back to the States to finance their targeted national measures”, he explained, adding that he also wanted “measures to combat speculative practices”.