MOSCOW (Sputnik) - France is on track to filling its strategic gas storage facilities to 85% by the end of the summer, but will aim for 100% volume by the end of the season, French government spokesman Olivier Veran said on Friday.
"We have activated all instruments to reduce our dependence on Russian gas and oil. Among other things, we have accelerated the filling of our gas storage facilities. We expect them to be 85% full by the end of the summer, but we would still like them to be 100% full," Veran said during a briefing.
Veran also said that France is in an "unprecedentedly difficult" situation in terms of energy production.
"France is now in an unprecedentedly difficult situation in terms of energy production. The reasons are well known. First of all, Russia has significantly reduced its gas supplies. The embargo on Russian oil supplies automatically reduces the possibility of supplying fuel until the end of the year. And on top of that we are facing difficulties in the production of nuclear energy, which are limited, among other things, by the need to carry out repairs," Veran said.
The French government also intends to unfreeze the renewable energy development program, Veran added.
French Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said on Wednesday that 18 nuclear reactors, which were shut down in May due to the traces of corrosion, would soon resume operation after maintenance work.