French LNG terminals, refineries extend strike to second week (updated)

Fluxys Belgium SA

15/03/2023 09:49

(Updates with refinery strike and adds context)
       PARIS, March 15 (Reuters) - Disruptions from the strike
against the French government's planned pension overhaul
stretched into a second week on Wednesday at French refineries
and depots, with liquified natural gas terminals (LNG) also
blocked.
    A broad alliance of unions has called for an eighth day of
street protests across France since mid-January to contest
President Emmanuel Macron's plans to raise the retirement age by
two years to 64.
    Several LNG ships heading to France have changed course to
terminals in Britain, the Netherlands and Spain since the strike
action started. The French terminals' closure for another week
would significantly hamper France's ability to export gas to
neighbouring countries.
    Three LNG terminals operated by Engie  ENGIE.PA  subsidiary
Elengy are expected to remain blocked until March 21, a company
spokesperson said.
    The Fluxys terminal  FLUX.BR  in Dunkirk has also been
affected by the strike, which is expected to last until Friday
morning.
    Among the refiners, 42% of operational staff were on strike
at TotalEnergies'  TTEF.PA  facilities for the eighth day this
morning, a company spokesperson said. While deliveries of
refined products were partially blocked, refining operations
continued. 
    "We are providing the necessary shipments to keep our
facilities in operation," the spokesperson added.
    The Fos refinery in southern France operated by ExxonMobil's
 XOM.N  subsidiary Esso was also back on strike on Wednesday, a
union representative told Reuters.
    French power supply from nuclear, thermal and hydro power
plants was also reduced by the strike, operator EDF  EDF.PA 
data showed.
    The country was importing about 3.3 gigawatts (GW) of
electricity from neighbours at 0845 GMT, grid operator RTE data
showed.
    Reactor maintenance has also been blocked in recent days,
with the disruptions affecting the Penly 1 reactor, where stress
corrosion problems were recently detected.
    The pension reform bill passes to a joint parliamentary
committee where lawmakers from the lower and upper chambers will
on Wednesday seek a compromise text before a final vote in both
the Senate and National Assembly on Thursday.

 (Reporting by Benjamin Mallet and Forrest Crellin; editing by
Jason Neely and Tomasz Janowski)
 ((Forrest.Crellin@thomsonreuters.com;))