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Due to the European heatwave, electricity demand for air conditioning and cooling has risen sharply, pushing peak prices on the power exchange within days from around €250 to over €600–700/MWh. EDF ramped down the Golfech nuclear plant and announced output restrictions at other reactors; Swiss nuclear plants also have to scale back because cooling water is too warm. The bottlenecks increase volatility in the spot market and hit industrial customers and households with dynamic tariffs particularly hard, while lack of grid expansion and insufficient storage capacity exacerbate the swings. » Plus sur t-online.de

UK consumers will pay about £2bn annually to EDF to support Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, with Hinkley receiving £1bn a year from 2030 under a contracts-for-difference guarantee and a separate £1bn levy to fund Sizewell C. The Hinkley strike price, agreed in 2013, has risen with inflation to roughly £133 today and is projected to reach about £150 in 2030, well above current wholesale prices near £80/MWh. A Sizewell levy will add about £10 a year to household bills and its project cost is projected at up to £100bn, while Hinkley has seen large overruns and may cost about £46bn. The government argues new nuclear will provide stable baseload supply and could reduce future balancing costs. » Plus sur theguardian.com

EDF will keep Heysham 1 in Lancashire and Hartlepool in Teesside running until March 2028 after positive graphite inspections, a move that secures more than 1,000 jobs and boosts UK energy security. Centrica, which owns 20% of the plants, supported the extension and EDF said it may also pursue longer life for Sizewell B if a sustainable commercial model is found. The Nuclear Industry Association welcomed the extensions and highlighted the role of nuclear alongside new build projects like Sizewell C in supporting a low‑carbon, reliable power system. » Plus sur theguardian.com