French power strike takes 6.5 GW offline; outages may extend

French energy workers struck overnight, removing 6.5 GW of generation capacity, with the action expected to continue through September 15 and possibly escalate. The strike centers on union opposition to changes in discounted electricity rates for workers and retirees, a core compensation element. This is a supply-side disruption that could tighten French and European power markets, raising prices and potentially affecting cross-border flows.