Electricity Grid Review 2025: France
January 1 - December 31, 2024 vs 2025
Data coverage: 366 days (2024), 365 days (2025)
1. Electricity Price (Day-Ahead, EUR/MWh)
Correlation coefficient: -0.74 (2024), -0.61 (2025). Strong negative correlation - higher renewable generation = lower prices, reflecting the merit order effect.
1.1 Daily Price Extremes
Based on daily average prices
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Highest Daily Avg | €176.1 (Dec 13, 2024) | €197.3 (Jan 20, 2025) |
| Lowest Daily Avg | €-6.6 (Jul 06, 2024) | €-5.2 (May 11, 2025) |
| Negative Price Days | 3 | 2 |
| Negative Price Hours | 352 | 513 |
1.2 Hourly Price Extremes
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Highest Price | €284.2 (Dec 13, 2024 16:00) | €473.3 (Jan 20, 2025 17:00) |
| Lowest Price | €-87.3 (May 12, 2024 12:00) | €-118.0 (May 1, 2025 12:00) |
1.3 Days by Price Range
Based on daily average prices
| Range (€/MWh) | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| €0-50 | 149 | 157 | +8 |
| €51-100 | 172 | 154 | -18 |
| €101-150 | 42 | 48 | +6 |
| €151-200 | 3 | 6 | +3 |
| €201+ | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1.4 Hours by Price Range
Based on hourly prices
| Range (€/MWh) | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Negative | 352 | 513 | +161 |
| €0-50 | 3,199 | 3,170 | -29 |
| €51-100 | 3,663 | 3,061 | -602 |
| €101-150 | 1,278 | 1,519 | +241 |
| €151-200 | 70 | 247 | +177 |
| €201+ | 25 | 31 | +6 |
1.5 Average Price by Hour of Day
1.6 Price Distribution (Hourly)
513 hours with negative prices across 97 days. Most negative: €-118.0/MWh.
Average daily price swing: €90/MWh. Maximum single-day swing was €359/MWh on 2025-01-20 (low: €114, high: €473).
Notable monthly evolutions
Change: +110% vs 2024
Possible explanation: A colder winter in early 2025 compared to mild conditions in 2024 increased heating demand, while wind generation dropped 33% YoY. European gas prices were 20% higher and EU-ETS carbon allowances rose from €65 to €70/tonne CO2. France wholesale prices averaged €122.6/MWh vs €58.4/MWh in Feb 2024. [Data: wind: 5.4 GW (-33% YoY); gas: 4.2 GW (+23% YoY); nuclear: 47.4 GW (+8% YoY)]
1.7 Multi-Level Price Heatmap
Price Heatmap
€/MWh
hourly range: -118-473
Yearly
Monthly
Daily
Hourly
2. Load
2.1 Monthly Load
2.2 Average Load by Hour of Day
Peak demand at 10:00 (55.0 GW). Minimum at 02:00 (42.3 GW).
2.3 Weekday vs Weekend
2.4 Net Load Pattern (Duck Curve)
Evening ramp of 10.6 GW from belly (02:00) to evening peak (18:00). This requires flexible dispatchable generation or storage to meet rapidly increasing demand as solar output decreases.
2.5 Seasonal Net Load Patterns
The duck curve shape varies significantly by season due to changes in solar intensity and heating/cooling demand patterns.
Winter (Dec-Feb)
Belly: 48.1 GW @ 03:00 | Peak: 61.5 GW @ 18:00 | Ramp: 13.4 GW
Spring (Mar-May)
Belly: 33.9 GW @ 14:00 | Peak: 44.3 GW @ 18:00 | Ramp: 10.5 GW
Summer (Jun-Aug)
Belly: 32.3 GW @ 13:00 | Peak: 41.8 GW @ 20:00 | Ramp: 9.5 GW
Fall (Sep-Nov)
Belly: 35.3 GW @ 02:00 | Peak: 47.2 GW @ 17:00 | Ramp: 11.9 GW
Winter shows a more pronounced duck curve with an evening ramp of 13.4 GW, 3.9 GW larger than summer (9.5 GW). This may reflect higher evening demand from heating and lighting.
2.6 Peak & Minimum Demand Records (2025)
| Rank | Highest Load | Date | Lowest Load | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 87020.5 GW | 2025-01-14 07:00 | 29173.5 GW | 2025-05-04 03:00 |
| 2 | 86763.5 GW | 2025-01-14 08:00 | 29260.2 GW | 2025-05-04 02:00 |
| 3 | 84877.8 GW | 2025-01-14 09:00 | 29780.8 GW | 2025-05-04 04:00 |
3. Production-Based vs Flow-Traced Carbon Intensity (gCO₂eq/kWh)
Production-based carbon intensity is 2.4g lower than flow-traced carbon intensity in 2024 (2.4g in 2025). This means France's domestic production is slightly cleaner than consumed electricity.
3.1 Monthly Production Mix
3.2 Production Mix (Domestic Generation)
3.3 Flow-Traced Power Mix
3.5 Power Mix Comparison
Production vs Flow-Traced consumption by source
| Source | Prod 2024 | Flow-traced 2024 | Prod 2025 | Flow-traced 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 69.5% | 67.4% | 70.3% (+0.8pp) | 68.4% (+1.0pp) |
| Hydro | 12.2% | 12.1% | 9.8% (-2.4pp) | 9.8% (-2.3pp) |
| Wind | 8.9% | 9.1% | 9.2% (+0.3pp) | 9.3% (+0.2pp) |
| Solar | 4.5% | 4.7% | 5.7% (+1.2pp) | 6.0% (+1.3pp) |
| Gas | 3.3% | 3.6% | 3.1% (-0.2pp) | 3.4% (-0.2pp) |
| Biomass | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.6% (+0.2pp) | 1.6% (+0.2pp) |
| Hydro Storage | -0.2% | 1.3% | 0.0% (+0.2pp) | 1.3% (+0.0pp) |
| Oil | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% (-0.1pp) | 0.2% (-0.1pp) |
| Coal | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% (+0.0pp) | 0.1% (-0.1pp) |
3.6 Key Trend
France's electricity consumption is dominated by ~68.4% nuclear. Battery saw the biggest growth from 0.0% to 0.0%.
4. Cross-Border Electricity Flows
France exported a net 89.59 TWh in 2025.
4.1 2025 Gross Exports (France → Neighbor)
Total electricity exported to each country — with average carbon intensity
4.2 2025 Gross Imports (Neighbor → France)
Total electricity imported from each country — with average carbon intensity
4.3 Net Position by Neighbor (2025)
| Neighbor | Net (TWh) | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| IT-NO | +24.00 | Net Exporter |
| GB | +21.01 | Net Exporter |
| DE | +17.06 | Net Exporter |
| CH | +15.15 | Net Exporter |
| BE | +8.98 | Net Exporter |
| LU | +1.17 | Net Exporter |
| ES | -0.97 | Net Importer |
Positive = France is net exporter to that neighbor. Negative = France is net importer from that neighbor.
4.4 Flow Pattern by Hour of Day
Peak exports at 20:00 (11.8 GW avg). Peak imports at 11:00 (7.5 GW avg).
5. Carbon Intensity (gCO₂eq/kWh)
5.1 Daily Records
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest Carbon Intensity | 15.3 g (Jun 18, 2024) | 15.8 g (Sep 24, 2025) |
| Lowest Fossil % | 0.7% (Jun 18, 2024) | 0.8% (Sep 24, 2025) |
| Highest Carbon Intensity | 79.2 g (Jan 13, 2024) | 72.2 g (Jan 14, 2025) |
| Highest Fossil % | 12.9% (Jan 10, 2024) | 11.2% (Nov 21, 2025) |
5.2 Hourly Records
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest Carbon Intensity | 12.8 g (Jun 19, 2024 03:00) | 13.6 g (Sep 24, 2025 23:00) |
| Highest Carbon Intensity | 93.6 g (Mar 5, 2024 20:00) | 87.4 g (Jan 14, 2025 08:00) |
5.3 Days Below Thresholds
| Threshold | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 100 gCO₂eq/kWh | 366 | 365 | -1 |
| < 200 gCO₂eq/kWh | 366 | 365 | -1 |
| < 300 gCO₂eq/kWh | 366 | 365 | -1 |
5.4 Hours Below Thresholds
| Threshold | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 100 gCO₂eq/kWh | 8,784 | 8,760 | -24 |
| < 200 gCO₂eq/kWh | 8,784 | 8,760 | -24 |
| < 300 gCO₂eq/kWh | 8,784 | 8,760 | -24 |
5.5 Average Carbon Intensity by Hour of Day
5.6 Seasonal Carbon Intensity Patterns
Carbon intensity daily patterns shift with seasonal changes in renewable generation and electricity demand.
Winter (Dec-Feb)
Peak: 47 g @ 18:00 | Trough: 35 g @ 02:00 | Spread: 12 g
Spring (Mar-May)
Peak: 31 g @ 18:00 | Trough: 24 g @ 02:00 | Spread: 6 g
Summer (Jun-Aug)
Peak: 29 g @ 20:00 | Trough: 20 g @ 02:00 | Spread: 9 g
Fall (Sep-Nov)
Peak: 31 g @ 17:00 | Trough: 23 g @ 02:00 | Spread: 8 g
Summer offers the lowest carbon intensity, with midday troughs reaching 20 gCO₂/kWh—44% lower than winter. Winter evening peaks are the most carbon-intensive at 47 gCO₂/kWh. Scheduling flexible loads during seasonal low-carbon windows maximizes emission reductions.
5.7 Carbon Intensity Distribution (Hourly)
Notable monthly evolutions
Change: -24% vs Sep 2024
Possible explanation: September 2025 saw France's highest nuclear generation for the month since 2018, with improved reactor availability. Nuclear output increased 6% YoY to 40.3 GW while gas generation dropped 34% to just 0.6 GW. Solar also increased 28% YoY to 3.7 GW. [Data: nuclear: 40.3 GW (+6% YoY); gas: 0.6 GW (-34% YoY); solar: 3.7 GW (+28% YoY)]
Change: -20% vs Nov 2024
Possible explanation: EDF's improved reactor availability continued into autumn, with nuclear generation up 4% YoY to 47.2 GW. Wind generation increased 28% to 7.3 GW while gas usage fell 31% to 2.5 GW. France's nuclear fleet is on track to exceed 370 TWh for 2025 - the highest since 2019. [Data: nuclear: 47.2 GW (+4% YoY); wind: 7.3 GW (+28% YoY); gas: 2.5 GW (-31% YoY)]
745 hours with both low price (<€21/MWh) and low carbon intensity (<20 gCO₂eq/kWh).
5.8 Multi-Level Carbon Intensity Heatmap
Carbon Intensity Heatmap
gCO₂eq/kWh
hourly range: 14-87
Yearly
Monthly
Daily
Hourly
6. Renewable & Carbon-Free Energy (Flow-Traced)
Includes electricity exchanged with neighboring grids
6.1 Days Above Thresholds
Days with carbon-free share above threshold
| Threshold | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≥50% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ≥60% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ≥70% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6.2 Hours Above Thresholds
Hours with carbon-free share above threshold
| Threshold | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≥50% carbon-free | 14 | 20 | +6 |
| ≥60% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ≥70% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6.3 Multi-Level Carbon-Free % Heatmap
Carbon-Free % Heatmap
%
hourly range: 87-99
Yearly
Monthly
Daily
Hourly
Electricity Grid Review 2025: France
January 1 - December 31, 2024 vs 2025
Data coverage: 366 days (2024), 365 days (2025)
1. Electricity Price (Day-Ahead, EUR/MWh)
Correlation coefficient: -0.74 (2024), -0.61 (2025). Strong negative correlation - higher renewable generation = lower prices, reflecting the merit order effect.
1.1 Daily Price Extremes
Based on daily average prices
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Highest Daily Avg | €176.1 (Dec 13, 2024) | €197.3 (Jan 20, 2025) |
| Lowest Daily Avg | €-6.6 (Jul 06, 2024) | €-5.2 (May 11, 2025) |
| Negative Price Days | 3 | 2 |
| Negative Price Hours | 352 | 513 |
1.2 Hourly Price Extremes
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Highest Price | €284.2 (Dec 13, 2024 16:00) | €473.3 (Jan 20, 2025 17:00) |
| Lowest Price | €-87.3 (May 12, 2024 12:00) | €-118.0 (May 1, 2025 12:00) |
1.3 Days by Price Range
Based on daily average prices
| Range (€/MWh) | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| €0-50 | 149 | 157 | +8 |
| €51-100 | 172 | 154 | -18 |
| €101-150 | 42 | 48 | +6 |
| €151-200 | 3 | 6 | +3 |
| €201+ | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1.4 Hours by Price Range
Based on hourly prices
| Range (€/MWh) | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Negative | 352 | 513 | +161 |
| €0-50 | 3,199 | 3,170 | -29 |
| €51-100 | 3,663 | 3,061 | -602 |
| €101-150 | 1,278 | 1,519 | +241 |
| €151-200 | 70 | 247 | +177 |
| €201+ | 25 | 31 | +6 |
1.5 Average Price by Hour of Day
1.6 Price Distribution (Hourly)
513 hours with negative prices across 97 days. Most negative: €-118.0/MWh.
Average daily price swing: €90/MWh. Maximum single-day swing was €359/MWh on 2025-01-20 (low: €114, high: €473).
Notable monthly evolutions
Change: +110% vs 2024
Possible explanation: A colder winter in early 2025 compared to mild conditions in 2024 increased heating demand, while wind generation dropped 33% YoY. European gas prices were 20% higher and EU-ETS carbon allowances rose from €65 to €70/tonne CO2. France wholesale prices averaged €122.6/MWh vs €58.4/MWh in Feb 2024. [Data: wind: 5.4 GW (-33% YoY); gas: 4.2 GW (+23% YoY); nuclear: 47.4 GW (+8% YoY)]
1.7 Multi-Level Price Heatmap
Price Heatmap
€/MWh
hourly range: -118-473
Yearly
Monthly
Daily
Hourly
2. Load
2.1 Monthly Load
2.2 Average Load by Hour of Day
Peak demand at 10:00 (55.0 GW). Minimum at 02:00 (42.3 GW).
2.3 Weekday vs Weekend
2.4 Net Load Pattern (Duck Curve)
Evening ramp of 10.6 GW from belly (02:00) to evening peak (18:00). This requires flexible dispatchable generation or storage to meet rapidly increasing demand as solar output decreases.
2.5 Seasonal Net Load Patterns
The duck curve shape varies significantly by season due to changes in solar intensity and heating/cooling demand patterns.
Winter (Dec-Feb)
Belly: 48.1 GW @ 03:00 | Peak: 61.5 GW @ 18:00 | Ramp: 13.4 GW
Spring (Mar-May)
Belly: 33.9 GW @ 14:00 | Peak: 44.3 GW @ 18:00 | Ramp: 10.5 GW
Summer (Jun-Aug)
Belly: 32.3 GW @ 13:00 | Peak: 41.8 GW @ 20:00 | Ramp: 9.5 GW
Fall (Sep-Nov)
Belly: 35.3 GW @ 02:00 | Peak: 47.2 GW @ 17:00 | Ramp: 11.9 GW
Winter shows a more pronounced duck curve with an evening ramp of 13.4 GW, 3.9 GW larger than summer (9.5 GW). This may reflect higher evening demand from heating and lighting.
2.6 Peak & Minimum Demand Records (2025)
| Rank | Highest Load | Date | Lowest Load | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 87020.5 GW | 2025-01-14 07:00 | 29173.5 GW | 2025-05-04 03:00 |
| 2 | 86763.5 GW | 2025-01-14 08:00 | 29260.2 GW | 2025-05-04 02:00 |
| 3 | 84877.8 GW | 2025-01-14 09:00 | 29780.8 GW | 2025-05-04 04:00 |
3. Production-Based vs Flow-Traced Carbon Intensity (gCO₂eq/kWh)
Production-based carbon intensity is 2.4g lower than flow-traced carbon intensity in 2024 (2.4g in 2025). This means France's domestic production is slightly cleaner than consumed electricity.
3.1 Monthly Production Mix
3.2 Production Mix (Domestic Generation)
3.3 Flow-Traced Power Mix
3.5 Power Mix Comparison
Production vs Flow-Traced consumption by source
| Source | Prod 2024 | Flow-traced 2024 | Prod 2025 | Flow-traced 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 69.5% | 67.4% | 70.3% (+0.8pp) | 68.4% (+1.0pp) |
| Hydro | 12.2% | 12.1% | 9.8% (-2.4pp) | 9.8% (-2.3pp) |
| Wind | 8.9% | 9.1% | 9.2% (+0.3pp) | 9.3% (+0.2pp) |
| Solar | 4.5% | 4.7% | 5.7% (+1.2pp) | 6.0% (+1.3pp) |
| Gas | 3.3% | 3.6% | 3.1% (-0.2pp) | 3.4% (-0.2pp) |
| Biomass | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.6% (+0.2pp) | 1.6% (+0.2pp) |
| Hydro Storage | -0.2% | 1.3% | 0.0% (+0.2pp) | 1.3% (+0.0pp) |
| Oil | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% (-0.1pp) | 0.2% (-0.1pp) |
| Coal | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% (+0.0pp) | 0.1% (-0.1pp) |
3.6 Key Trend
France's electricity consumption is dominated by ~68.4% nuclear. Battery saw the biggest growth from 0.0% to 0.0%.
4. Cross-Border Electricity Flows
France exported a net 89.59 TWh in 2025.
4.1 2025 Gross Exports (France → Neighbor)
Total electricity exported to each country — with average carbon intensity
4.2 2025 Gross Imports (Neighbor → France)
Total electricity imported from each country — with average carbon intensity
4.3 Net Position by Neighbor (2025)
| Neighbor | Net (TWh) | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| IT-NO | +24.00 | Net Exporter |
| GB | +21.01 | Net Exporter |
| DE | +17.06 | Net Exporter |
| CH | +15.15 | Net Exporter |
| BE | +8.98 | Net Exporter |
| LU | +1.17 | Net Exporter |
| ES | -0.97 | Net Importer |
Positive = France is net exporter to that neighbor. Negative = France is net importer from that neighbor.
4.4 Flow Pattern by Hour of Day
Peak exports at 20:00 (11.8 GW avg). Peak imports at 11:00 (7.5 GW avg).
5. Carbon Intensity (gCO₂eq/kWh)
5.1 Daily Records
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest Carbon Intensity | 15.3 g (Jun 18, 2024) | 15.8 g (Sep 24, 2025) |
| Lowest Fossil % | 0.7% (Jun 18, 2024) | 0.8% (Sep 24, 2025) |
| Highest Carbon Intensity | 79.2 g (Jan 13, 2024) | 72.2 g (Jan 14, 2025) |
| Highest Fossil % | 12.9% (Jan 10, 2024) | 11.2% (Nov 21, 2025) |
5.2 Hourly Records
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest Carbon Intensity | 12.8 g (Jun 19, 2024 03:00) | 13.6 g (Sep 24, 2025 23:00) |
| Highest Carbon Intensity | 93.6 g (Mar 5, 2024 20:00) | 87.4 g (Jan 14, 2025 08:00) |
5.3 Days Below Thresholds
| Threshold | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 100 gCO₂eq/kWh | 366 | 365 | -1 |
| < 200 gCO₂eq/kWh | 366 | 365 | -1 |
| < 300 gCO₂eq/kWh | 366 | 365 | -1 |
5.4 Hours Below Thresholds
| Threshold | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 100 gCO₂eq/kWh | 8,784 | 8,760 | -24 |
| < 200 gCO₂eq/kWh | 8,784 | 8,760 | -24 |
| < 300 gCO₂eq/kWh | 8,784 | 8,760 | -24 |
5.5 Average Carbon Intensity by Hour of Day
5.6 Seasonal Carbon Intensity Patterns
Carbon intensity daily patterns shift with seasonal changes in renewable generation and electricity demand.
Winter (Dec-Feb)
Peak: 47 g @ 18:00 | Trough: 35 g @ 02:00 | Spread: 12 g
Spring (Mar-May)
Peak: 31 g @ 18:00 | Trough: 24 g @ 02:00 | Spread: 6 g
Summer (Jun-Aug)
Peak: 29 g @ 20:00 | Trough: 20 g @ 02:00 | Spread: 9 g
Fall (Sep-Nov)
Peak: 31 g @ 17:00 | Trough: 23 g @ 02:00 | Spread: 8 g
Summer offers the lowest carbon intensity, with midday troughs reaching 20 gCO₂/kWh—44% lower than winter. Winter evening peaks are the most carbon-intensive at 47 gCO₂/kWh. Scheduling flexible loads during seasonal low-carbon windows maximizes emission reductions.
5.7 Carbon Intensity Distribution (Hourly)
Notable monthly evolutions
Change: -24% vs Sep 2024
Possible explanation: September 2025 saw France's highest nuclear generation for the month since 2018, with improved reactor availability. Nuclear output increased 6% YoY to 40.3 GW while gas generation dropped 34% to just 0.6 GW. Solar also increased 28% YoY to 3.7 GW. [Data: nuclear: 40.3 GW (+6% YoY); gas: 0.6 GW (-34% YoY); solar: 3.7 GW (+28% YoY)]
Change: -20% vs Nov 2024
Possible explanation: EDF's improved reactor availability continued into autumn, with nuclear generation up 4% YoY to 47.2 GW. Wind generation increased 28% to 7.3 GW while gas usage fell 31% to 2.5 GW. France's nuclear fleet is on track to exceed 370 TWh for 2025 - the highest since 2019. [Data: nuclear: 47.2 GW (+4% YoY); wind: 7.3 GW (+28% YoY); gas: 2.5 GW (-31% YoY)]
745 hours with both low price (<€21/MWh) and low carbon intensity (<20 gCO₂eq/kWh).
5.8 Multi-Level Carbon Intensity Heatmap
Carbon Intensity Heatmap
gCO₂eq/kWh
hourly range: 14-87
Yearly
Monthly
Daily
Hourly
6. Renewable & Carbon-Free Energy (Flow-Traced)
Includes electricity exchanged with neighboring grids
6.1 Days Above Thresholds
Days with carbon-free share above threshold
| Threshold | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≥50% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ≥60% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ≥70% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6.2 Hours Above Thresholds
Hours with carbon-free share above threshold
| Threshold | 2024 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≥50% carbon-free | 14 | 20 | +6 |
| ≥60% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ≥70% carbon-free | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6.3 Multi-Level Carbon-Free % Heatmap
Carbon-Free % Heatmap
%
hourly range: 87-99
Yearly
Monthly
Daily
Hourly
