ESSEN (dpa-AFX) - The European electricity market cannot do without French nuclear power in the coming years, according to Eon CEO Leonhard Birnbaum. "We absolutely need high availability of French nuclear power in the next ten years. Because otherwise the switch to renewables will be incredibly difficult for us," Birnbaum said Tuesday on the ARD podcast "Energy crisis - and now?"

He added that French nuclear power, when available, stabilizes the European electricity market. In this context, the manager of Germany's largest energy supplier referred to the numerous French nuclear power plants that were unable to produce electricity in the summer for various reasons. "The high electricity prices were also driven by the low availability of French nuclear power."

Birnbaum expects the three remaining nuclear power plants in Germany to shut down on April 15, as required by law. "That's definitely my planning and my company's planning at the moment." He stressed, "Nothing is ever set in stone until it happens. But I think that's how it's going to happen."/tob/DP/he