![French electricity import-export balance October 16 [source: Rte]](http://gastopower.co.uk/media/k2/items/cache/c83bb77473e648ece9e5aba9277cee3e_S.jpg)
Imports of electricity from foreign grids rose 40% year on year in October in France, grid operator Rte reported.
That was amid falling nuclear production, which was down 16% year on year at 29,017 GWh. Hydro generation also fell by 21% at 3,096 GWh, further weighing on the system.
Imports of electricity totalled 3,714 GWh: of those, some 1.593 GWh were imported from Germany and Belgium, 811 GWh from Spain, 644 from Switzerland, 445 from the UK (becoming net importer for the first time since February 2012) and 221 GWh from Italy.
Nevertheless, the balance between imports and exports over the month shows France remained a net exporter of electricity, with exports outweighing imports by 522 GWh.
Lower nuclear and hydro output was partially offset by higher thermoelectric generation, which increased 37% year on year at 5,061 Gwh and higher renewable generation, with wind and solar standing at respectively 1,388 GWh and 589 GWh.
Amid tighter national production, which totalled 39,808 GWh in October, wholesale power prices in France reached peaks of Eur123/MWh Rte showed. Equally, peaks above Eur100/MWh were seen in the UK and of Eur299/MWh Belgium in some hours over the month.