France aims to increase carbon-free electricity production

France will seek to increase electricity production from nuclear and renewable energy sources by 20% over the next decade, Finance Minister Roland Lescure said, according to Reuters.

He said the country would soon publish an electrification plan to help accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.

France recently unveiled a new energy law (PPE) that sets targets for the country’s energy balance and regulates tenders for wind and solar energy for 10 years. It was adopted by decree on February 12, 2026 — three years late, according to the agency, due to disagreements among lawmakers over subsidizing renewable energy sources and financing new nuclear reactors amid the state’s struggle with high debt levels.

The law reduces wind and solar energy targets by about 20% by 2035, while nuclear energy production targets have been increased by 5%, abolishes the mandate for the state-owned company EDF to close nuclear power plants, and removes the previous legal obligation to close 14 reactors.

It should be noted that wind and solar power plants in the EU generated more electricity than fossil fuels for the first time in 2025, according to data from the Ember analytical center. Last year, wind and solar energy accounted for a record 30% of the European Union’s electricity production, while fossil fuels accounted for 29%. Renewable energy sources provided almost half of the bloc’s energy balance last year, reaching 48%.