France’s 2026–2035 energy roadmap: Main strategic orientations and market implications

Under the Energy Code, France’s national energy policy is set through a dedicated multiannual energy programme (programmation pluriannuelle de l’énergie or “PPE”).¹ PPE is the cornerstone of French energy planning: it defines sector-specific development pathways and targets and, in particular, determines the conditions governing public support granted to renewable energy producers.²

After several years of delay, the French Government published, on 13 February 2026, the decree adopting the new multiannual energy program for the 2026–2035 period (PPE3).³ This article reviews the PPE’s main strategic orientations and its most noteworthy features, as well as their implications for energy market participants.

 

PPE3: a protracted and politically complex genesis

To fully understand the anticipation of all energy actors in France for PPE3, it is important to place its adoption in context.

Two previous multi annual energy programmes had been adopted: PPE1 covering the 2016–2023 period,⁴ and PPE2, covering the 2019–2028 period.⁵ A new PPE was initially expected to be enacted before 1 July 2023.⁶ However, despite several initiatives by both the Government and the Parliament, who criticized the fact that the previous two PPEs had not been adopted by parliamentary vote, no political consensus emerged to enact the PPE by law. This impasse largely reflects France’s complex and fragmented political landscape.⁷

Several public consultations on a draft PPE were conducted by the Government in 2023,⁸ 2024⁹ 2025.¹⁰

In its latest iteration, the draft PPE notably included:

1. a downward revision of certain development trajectories, in particular for photovoltaic capacity¹¹ and installed electrolysis capacity;¹²
2. a restructuring of photovoltaic deployment priorities, with a focus on artificialized surfaces (notably rooftops and parking canopies) and large-scale installations; and
3. the introduction of a public support scheme for the tidal energy sector.¹³

On 1 August 2025, the Government announced the imminent publication of a provisional text providing for a rescaling of the objectives to reflect a slower than anticipated electrification of uses in France. That draft was ultimately withdrawn after triggering significant political and industrial opposition.

In early February 2026, the announcement of the imminent publication of PPE3 came as a surprise for both industry stakeholders and market observers. PPE3 was formally adopted by Government decree on 12 February 2026.¹⁴ PPE3 has been generally well received, notwithstanding earlier skepticism regarding its content. Beyond individual sectoral compromises, its adoption signals a renewed governmental commitment to energy planning and contributes to restoring a welcome level of predictability across the entire energy sector.

 

Sectoral orientations: continuity, trade-offs and recalibration

The first key takeaway is the clear reaffirmation of nuclear power as the cornerstone of French energy strategy. Whereas PPE2 had provided for the closure of 14 nuclear reactors, PPE3 endorses a renewed nuclear trajectory, with an annual production target of 380 to 420 TWh between 2030 and 2035. This objective is to be achieved through (i) the extension of the operating life of existing reactors beyond 60 years, (ii) the progressive ramp-up of the Flamanville EPR, and (iii) the construction of six new EPR2 reactors, with eight additional units under consideration. The political message is clear: nuclear power is, and is intended to remain, the structural backbone of the French electricity mix.¹⁵

PPE3 also sets ambitious 2035 targets for:¹⁶ hydropower, biomethane, biofuels,¹⁷ and renewable and recovered heat and cooling, reflecting sustained political support. By contrast, the development trajectories for solar, onshore and offshore wind assets have been revised downward. The targets ultimately adopted in PPE3 are slightly lower than those set out in the¹⁸ draft submitted for consultation in March 2025.

Such adjustment may legitimately give rise to criticism, given the strategic importance of these sectors and the number of actors directly and indirectly involved. However, it should be recalled that the debates preceding the adoption of PPE3 included proposals for far more significant reductions, and even moratoria, affecting certain renewable energy segments. Against this backdrop, the compromise reflected in PPE3 appears, overall, reassuring for renewable energy stakeholders.

Finally, while the publication of PPE3 constitutes a positive signal, its credibility will ultimately depend on its effective implementation. In this regard, it is important to closely monitor the timeline and specifications (including eligibility criteria, volumes to be awarded, etc.) of forthcoming tenders, notably those for offshore wind (scheduled for summer¹⁹ and winter²⁰ 2026), for building-mounted PV (scheduled for the first quarter of 2026²¹), and for ground-mounted PV (not announced yet), which had previously been postponed pending the adoption of PPE3.²²

 

A key feature of PPE3: the “revoyure” clause

A specific point of attention is the so-called “revoyure” (review) clause. PPE3 provides that the capacities to be awarded or contracted for renewable electricity installations after 31 December 2028, may be adjusted on the basis of several factors, including: (i) trends in electricity consumption and the pace of electrification of uses in France, (ii) the deployment of decarbonized generation capacity, and (iii) the development of decarbonized flexibility resources.²³ To this end, PPE3 allows for the initiation of a revision process as early as 2027.²⁴

Some observers have expressed concerns that this mechanism may introduce a degree of uncertainty for renewable energy stakeholders. That concern is, however, tempered by two elements. First, the clause explicitly allows for adjustments to be made both upward or downward.²⁵ Second, any revision would be grounded in objective indicators relating to consumption trends, decarbonized generation capacity and flexibility development, and would therefore be based on technical and factual assessments. The procedural framework of the review clause tends to anchor future strategic energy choices in the operations realities and evolving needs of the French energy system.

 

Why PPE3 ultimately matters

PPE3 ultimately constitutes a significant achievement. For several months, the energy sector expressed skepticism regarding the Government’s ability to finalize and publish PPE3 within the first half of 2026, given the fragmented political landscape and the sensitivity of energy policy debates. While certain renewable electricity targets have been reduced compared to earlier drafts, the outcome appears to reflect the most realistic compromise in a particularly tense political context.

Even subject to the “revoyure” clause, PPE3 restores a degree of visibility that enables stakeholders to move forward with projects that have remained stalled in development pipelines pending clearer regulatory signals. The review mechanism itself reflects a measure of institutional pragmatism: by conditioning potential adjustments on objective technical assessments - particularly those conducted by the energy sector regulator and the transmission sector operator - the State acknowledges the evolving nature of electrification dynamics while anchoring future decisions in system-level expertise.

Finally, PPE3 illustrates France’s intention, strongly encouraged by the European Commission, to focus public support on emerging and/or strategic value chains while gradually reducing support for more mature technologies, notably photovoltaic power, through adjusted tender volumes and frequency. Taken together, PPE3 embodies a pragmatic equilibrium – imperfect, but operational - capable of restoring regulatory coherence for the French energy sector. Its adoption sends a strong institutional signal: long-term energy planning has once again become a governmental priority. In that respect alone, PPE3 must be regarded as a success.