He was reappointed to his post a week later

After the failures of 2000, 2004 and 2006, the reform of the electricity market should enable that previous attempts have failed: the opening of the French market to competition. Will it get there Everything depends on its terms and conditions, which remain to be defined by the Government. Passed late November by the Parliament, the new organization of the market in electricity (Nome) share a conclusion: the nuclear production in France is a monopoly of EDF. So a real competition established in France, the text provides that its rivals have access to a portion of this nuclear electricity, to the same conditions as the incumbent operator.

What are they This is the question, which the Government has carefully avoided to answer during the parliamentary debate. But six months of the objective of entry into force of the Act, he can no longer evade the debate. Problem: what is the true cost of nuclear power In France, where the costs of production of EDF are nearly of State secrecy, the question is akin to a puzzle. It is simple, ask four experts, you will get four different answers!

GDF Suez, which should benefit from the device, readily recalled that it has already drawing on several French nuclear rights and that EDF to invoice this electricity to 31 euros per megawatt-hour (MWh). Commission Regulation of energy (CRE) has also encrypted at this level the cost of the French nuclear. It appears to be higher than power plants operated by GDF Suez in Belgium, where the regulator considers the cost of production between 17 and 21 euros by MWh - a magnitude comparable to that observed in Finland by the electrician TVO.

EDF, which should in the future sell its nuclear electricity, ensures, that its full cost rises to 46 euros per MWh. To arrive at this figure, it part of the initial investment in 58 French reactors and updates the amount in current currency. In doing so, the incumbent operator reasoning in terms of "valorisation" and not on the basis of "cost of return" damped Park. Future reactors, such as the one which is under construction in Flamanville, theoretically need electricity to more than 55 euros per MWh. These estimates include the cost of the investment, operating costs and expenses related to the decommissioning or waste management.

Act Nome, EDF agrees to make an "effort" and is willing to sell its nuclear to 42 euros per MWh, which is reserved for companies in the Tartam, a specific tariff level. Below, it would be the looting, according to his boss, Henri Proglio. "I am not here to loot the national heritage", insists the CEO of EDF. For its part, GDF Suez is also willing to make an effort, in up to pay a level of 35 euros, or the share of nuclear in the blue charged retail tariff. "We will not purchase not at 42 for resale to 35", insists its President, Gérard Mestrallet.

In the Act, the State attempted to frame things through "References", as consistency with the Tartam, very dear to EDF. But they are also questionable. The evidence: the CRE itself appears to be struggling to make sense... Based on these references, its services had made last may a projection resulting in a price of "regulated access to historical nuclear electricity" (Arenh) between 37.5 and 38.8 euros per MWh. Eight months later, in January, its President argued strongly that, according to the parameters selected, the level could exceed 42 euros... He was reappointed to his post a week later.

To break the deadlock and take the heat out the debate, the Government entrusted to Paul Champsaur, the author of the report which has given rise to the Act, a mission on the method of calculation of this Arenh. The former President of the telecommunications regulatory authority shall make its report by early March to the Government. Everything suggests that it would propose a middle way, which makes people unhappy with least possible, while preserving the fundamental objectives of the Act: preserving the competitiveness of nuclear power, develop competition and finance the necessary investments.

The Government is not blindly adopt the recommendations of Paul Champsaur and his colleagues, the former Minister Bruno Durieux and Economist Jacques Percebois. It must, however, keep in mind a purely mechanical constraint, which is not without political consequence: the Arenh will be high, more stronger will be the rise in blue by 2015 tariffs, which corresponds to a major deadline of the Nome Act. Less will be high, less walking will be high to cross. Which favour Consumer-voter, who wants to avoid any drift rate, or the taxpayer shareholder, who wants to preserve the value of EDF

The State, which owns 84 of the public electrician and 36 of GDF Suez, will have to find a compromise designs neither one nor the other. No doubt there happens through not necessarily readable technical tricks. Perhaps by assigning lots of consolation a priori disconnected from the debate, as its possible agreement for the construction of a reactor Atmea - demand of GDF Suez - Rhône Valley, or conversely, leaving EDF extend its influence on French nuclear industry and its pillar, Areva. Is it a chance if the level of the Arenh will be finally fixed in April or may, and in March, after a Council of nuclear policy it also highly anticipated