France’s long-overdue energy plan: all bets on nuclear; renewables ambitions scaled down

After two years of missed deadlines, France has finally unveiled its third programmation pluriannuelle de l’énergie (PPE3), setting the country’s energy trajectory for 2026-2035. The roadmap, presented yesterday [12 February 2026] by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu from the hydropower dams of Saut-Mortier and Vouglans, closes a chapter of damaging uncertainty that has weighed heavily on project development pipelines and investor confidence. For renewable energy developers and infrastructure investors, the relief is tangible. But so is the recalibration: while nuclear is firmly back at the centre of the mix, renewable ambitions have been scaled down. With electricity demand stagnating, PPE3 steps back from the more ambitious trajectories floated in earlier drafts. The result is not a policy U-turn, but is a rebalancing of risk. inspiratia unpacks the strategy and what it means for developers and investors involved in the country’s energy transition.