Lecornu releases diesel reserves and says power prices won't rise

On 7 October 2026, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced measures to ease pressure on energy costs. The government made 10 million barrels of diesel from strategic reserves available to fuel distributors. The fuel had been bought before prices rose and was to be sold at cost price, with an estimated cut of 12 to 18 centimes per litre at the pump. The release formed part of a wider operation coordinated by the International Energy Agency, which targeted up to 100 million barrels over four months.

Lecornu also said electricity prices should not rise this winter. He asked EDF, the state-controlled power utility, to mobilise its generation capacity as fully as possible, within nuclear safety requirements. The pledge was aimed mainly at the review of regulated tariffs, the state-set household rates, planned for 1 February 2027.

The announcement mattered because it tied fuel and power costs to household purchasing power. Commentators noted that the commitments covered only the winter, and that EDF's output would mostly affect contracts signed later, in spring.