AFP: Europe must save gas plants for energy security: GDF Suez chief

Europe must save its gas-fired electricity plants by paying for them to remain available for peak demand or face a threat to its energy security, warned Wednesday the head of GDF Suez, the top non-nuclear power producer in the world.

A rise in wind and solar power combined with a fall in the price of coal and EU pollution permits has dealt a one-two punch to gas-fired electricity plants in recent years. 

GDF chief executive said Gerard Mestrallet expressed concern that European authorities had shown little concern that 30 to 40 gigawatts in gas-fired electricity plants have been shut down, the equivalent of over two dozen nuclear reactors. 

"We can't let our European energy industry be destroyed by bits, in silence and indifference," he said at the annual conference of the France Gas Association.  MORE