French pension reform strikes hit fuel deliveries, refining and power

Paris — Workers striking in protest at proposed French pension reforms disrupted fuel deliveries and refining operations at several sites operated by TotalEnergies and Esso on Tuesday while power supply was also reduced.

France’s hardline CGT union said that shipments were affected, as well as refinery operations at both companies’ sites, and that they were “producing less fuel”.

However, a spokesperson for Esso, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, said that while deliveries have indeed been blocked at the Fos-Sur-Mer refinery since Monday evening for an expected 48 hour period, there is no impact on production. Deliveries from the Port Jerome site have also been affected since early morning, they added.

“Esso is doing everything to supply its customers and reduce the consequences of this national movement against the pension reform,” the spokesperson said.

TotalEnergies’ Gonfreville, Donges, Feyzin, La Mede and Carling sites were hit by the strike, a CGT representative said.

However, the company said there is no lack of fuel at service stations and stocks are at a high level, adding that teams have been mobilised to meet demand.

The TotalEnergies spokesperson said that out of 296 operators on its sites, 64% were on strike on Tuesday morning.

Eric Sellini, a CGT union representative at TotalEnergies, said that the strike now blocking the Gonfreville refinery in Normandy is expected to run until Thursday and the one at the Donges refinery in western France until Friday.

“The objective is to renew the strike everywhere,” CGT representative Benjamin Tange said. The spokesperson for the Esso refineries also said that strikes could be repeated.

France earlier on Tuesday imported about 12GW of energy, data from grid operator RTE shows, as the strikes disrupted nuclear, thermal and hydro power supply.

However, the strike is also lowering demand for energy, Kpler analyst Emeric de Vigan said in a tweet.

Real-time consumption is lower than forecasts on Monday, which were already 4GW lower than average at current temperatures, he added.

Labour unions have vowed to bring France to a standstill on Tuesday, as they step up their fight against President Emmanuel Macro’s plans to make the French work two years more, to 64, before they can retire with a pension.

Reuters