France, Dec. 6 -- French President Emmanuel Macron has dismissed growing fears of winter electricity outages as "overblown", even as France's energy companies prepare for possible targeted power cuts if consumption is not reduced and cold snaps strain the grid.

France's electricity network has come under increasing pressure as state power company EDF races to restart dozens of nuclear reactors taken down for maintenance or safety work that has proved more challenging than originally thought.

Reduced gas exports from Russia as it cuts supplies in retaliation for Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine have added to worries that gas-burning power plants might have to trim production.

Speakingahead of an EU-Balkans summit in the Albania...