France's Power Grid Collapses Under Heat Wave Cooling Demand

During June 2026's Omega block heat wave, France's power grid failed during peak temperatures, leaving thousands without air conditioning. The outages exposed structural fragility in a country where AC penetration remains comparatively low. When cooling demand spiked sharply and simultaneously across the grid, margins evaporated. The episode reveals Europe's adaptation lag: infrastructure designed for historical climate norms is buckling under emerging heat extremes.