Three of the four terminals through which France imports liquefied natural gas (LNG) have been shut down for seven days. That said the union CGT on Monday evening. Operator Elengy, daughter of energy giant Engie, confirmed the action. In the fourth terminal, operated by the Belgian gas network operator Fluxys, a 48-hour strike will start on Tuesday morning.
These are two Elengy LNG terminals in Fos-sur-Mer, in the south on the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, a terminal in Saint-Nazaire, in the west on the Atlantic Ocean, has also been blocked. The action will also cause disruption to gas distribution via grid operator GRTgaz, it says.
“Elengy’s three methane terminals are shut down,” the company confirms. That emphasizes that everything is happening in safe conditions and that there is currently no impact for the general public.
Pension reform
CGT Elengy’s action is part of the massive protests by French trade unions against the government’s pension reform. Another general strike will take place on Tuesday.
A two-day strike will start on Tuesday morning in the fourth French terminal, which Fluxys operates in Dunkirk in northern France. The company confirmed this after a message from CGT.
LNG imports more important since war
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union has been reducing its dependence on Russian natural gas. As a result, the import of LNG has become more important. According to Elengy, LNG terminals will account for half of France’s gas supply by 2022. That share is expected to increase this year.
CGT is also organizing filter blockades at the gas storage infrastructure in France from Tuesday.
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