French strikers slow nuclear reactor maintenance
PARIS, May 20 (Reuters) - French nuclear workers, who have been protesting over pay since the start of the year, are finding new methods to cut EDF's (EDF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) available electricity capacity, a Sud union spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
Workers are preventing reactors, which are stopped for planned maintenance at the Chinon, Cruas, Blayais, Paluel and Dampierre plants, from restarting on schedule [POWER/FR], costing EDF millions of euros.
"This is a new form of striking," the spokeswoman said.
Industrial action was also taking place at the Cattenom and Chooz plants, where workers delayed maintenance work.
"A reactor is planned to stop at the Fessenheim plant on May. 23 and we are expecting workers to block the maintenance there as well," she said.
French electricity workers are asking for a five percent pay rise and a one-off bonus of 1,500 euros ($2,045).
French nuclear workers cut 2,900 megawatt in power capacity in a one-day strike on Tuesday but the spokeswoman said it was increasingly difficult for workers to cut production capacity.
During strikes, EDF can demand workers raise capacity levels if the supply/demand is tight. (Reporting by Mathilde Cru, editing by Anthony Barker)
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