Total’s Normandy Refinery Returns to Service After Power Loss

By Tara Patel and Nidaa Bakhsh

Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Total SA said its largest refinery in France resumed normal operations following a brief loss of power and steam two days ago.

“All our units are running at 100 percent of capacity,” Michael Crochet-Vourey, a Total spokesman, said by phone today from Paris, where the company is based.

Power supply at the site in Normandy, northern France, was interrupted “momentarily” because of freezing temperatures, Crochet-Vourey said. Processing units were able to resume operations “very quickly,” he said.

The incident caused “smoke” to be released into the atmosphere, Crochet-Vourey said.

The Gonfreville refinery has the capacity to process 345,000 barrels of oil a day.

Freezing temperatures have led to record power and gas consumption in France.

To contact the reporter on this story: Tara Patel in Paris at tpatel2@bloomberg.netNidaa Bakhsh in London at nbakhsh@bloomberg.net