Fuel supply warning for north-east France as Rhine levels fall
Some petrol stations risk running dry in the Grand Est region, a supermarket chain's boss said, blaming low water on the Rhine.
Fuel supplies are running low in north-eastern France, with some petrol stations facing temporary shortages, the head of the Coopérative U supermarket group warned on Wednesday.
Dominique Schelcher, the group's chief executive, wrote on X that several oil depots were out of stock and that the situation was becoming strained in the north-eastern quarter of the country. He said low water levels on the Rhine were preventing the usual resupply route for fuel refined in northern Europe, just as sales accelerated after the government released strategic diesel stocks on 2 November.
Government data showed 19% of petrol stations in the Grand Est region had at least one fuel type unavailable as of 09:00 on Wednesday, down slightly from 20% the previous evening. Nationally, 10% of stations were reported to be short of at least one fuel at the same time.
Commerce minister Serge Papin had said on Tuesday that the stock releases were renewable, but his office said on Wednesday that releasing further strategic reserves was not currently on the agenda.
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What we know
- A supermarket group's boss warned of temporary fuel shortages in north-east France
- Low Rhine water levels are limiting fuel resupply to the region, he said
- 19% of Grand Est petrol stations lacked at least one fuel type as of Wednesday morning
- The government says releasing further strategic fuel stocks is not currently planned
Why it matters for Europe
The strain follows weeks of elevated fuel prices in France linked to the conflict in the Middle East, which prompted the government's stock release in the first place. A supply squeeze limited to one region is less severe than the nationwide fuel crises France has faced during past strikes, but it highlights how dependent eastern France's fuel supply is on Rhine shipping.
Sources
Reported by 4 reports from 4 independent outlets in 1 countries.
- Franceinfo: Certaines stations essences "peuvent être en rupture ponctuelle dans le nord-est de la France", alerte le PDG de Coopérative U
- Franceinfo: Certaines stations essences "peuvent être en rupture ponctuelle dans le nord-est de la France", alerte le PDG de Coopérative U
- Le Figaro: Carburants : menace de «ruptures ponctuelles» dans le quart nord-est de la France, alerte le patron de Coopérative U
- BFMTV: "Plusieurs dépôts pétroliers sont en rupture": le patron de Coopérative U alerte sur les tensions d'approvisionnement en carburant dans le nord-est de la France
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Which part of France is affected?
- The north-eastern region, including Grand Est, where the CEO of Coopérative U said some petrol stations could face temporary shortages.
- What caused the shortage?
- Low water levels on the Rhine, which limited the usual resupply of fuel refined in northern Europe, company and government officials said.
- Is the government releasing more fuel stocks?
- Not for now; the commerce minister's office said on Wednesday that releasing further strategic reserves is not currently on the agenda.
This article was written with AI assistance from 4 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.