Plugged In: the energy news podcast
Reshaping French energy
Apr 23, 2026
Season 8
Episode 18
Montel News
From the streets of Paris to the heart of Europe’s energy regulation, this episode explores how geopolitics, market design and infrastructure are reshaping France’s - and the continent’s - energy future.
As tensions in the Gulf ripple through global gas prices and Europe’s energy markets, France finds itself in a uniquely resilient position, buoyed by nuclear power, growing renewables and strong export capacity. But beneath that stability lie complex questions about pricing, interconnectors, and the long-term balance between supply, demand and affordability.
So how can Europe maintain energy security, keep prices competitive, and still accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future?
In this episode, Richard sits down with Emmanuelle Wargon, President of France’s Energy Regulator (CRE) and Chair of the Board of Regulators at ACER. She shares insights into France’s evolving power mix, why electricity prices there have largely decoupled from gas, and how Europe is navigating the pressures of global gas supply shocks.
Richard and Emmanuelle also explore the growing debate around marginal pricing, the urgent need for grid investment and interconnectors, and the delicate challenge of scaling renewables without undermining market stability. From LNG dependency to nuclear resurgence and the politics of cross-border energy flows, this conversation offers clarity over the trade-offs shaping Europe’s energy system.
#EnergyTransition #FranceEnergy #EmmanuelleWargon #EuropeanEnergy #PowerMarkets #GasPrices #NuclearEnergy #Renewables #EnergySecurity #Interconnectors #ElectricityMarkets #GridInfrastructure #LNG #Decarbonisation
Host: Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Guest: Emmanuelle Wargon, President of CRE and Chair of ACER's Board of Regulators
Editor: Alexandra Carlon
Producer: Alexandra Carlon & Caroline Pailliez