At Fos-sur-Mer, political frictions over the very high voltage line

In the south of France, the government’s ambitions for decarbonisation and reindustrialisation have taken the form of a power line of a very large calibre. Its construction, for one of France’s largest industrial sites, will require sacrifices to be made to the environment, landscapes and farmland, in the name of the nation, which many local stakeholders are refusing. For fear of a political deadlock, and despite having made it optional, the government has called a public debate on the future of this area, starting on 2 April.