* Strike impact limited, reactors not affected
* German prompt up on slower wind speeds
* Curve trades sideways, fuels prices mixed
FRANKFURT, Oct 9 (Reuters) - European prompt power traded down in France on Tuesday as a one-day strike in the country's energy sector looked set to end.
However, power prices were up in neighbouring Germany, where day-ahead wind power levels were due to halve.
French contracts for Wednesday delivery lost the previous day's gains, which were made as traders covered ahead of the 24-hour action launched by the CGT union in protest against planned job cuts and plant closures.
The action affected some E.ON coal and gas-fired plants which have a capacity of 3.2 gigawatts (GW), CGT said, but did not put a figure on the capacity lost.
French day ahead baseload was down 2.85 euros on the day at 53.25 euros ($69.00) a megawatt hour (MWh)
.
Germany's day ahead baseload contract was 5.40 euros up at 51.25 euros
reflecting forecasts for wind power supply to halve to around 5 GW on Wednesday, and fall further on Thursday.
Despite the limited strike effect, nearby power prices in France kept a premium over Germany's equivalent positions because capacity at its 58 nuclear reactors remains chronically tight.
EDF's
915-MW Cruas 1 nuclear reactor stopped for an unplanned outage late on Monday, grid operator RTE showed on its website.
French week ahead power supply is also priced much higher than Germany's as colder weather is forecast in a country heavily reliant on electric heating devices.
Along the forwards power curve, Germany's benchmark contract for 2013 delivery
remained stable at 47.75 euros and the same position in France was unchanged from Monday at 50.75 euros.
In the fuel markets that are relevant to power, oil and carbon prices were higher while gas traded sideways and coal down. ($1 = 0.7711 euros)
(Reporting by Vera Eckert; Editing by Alison Birrane)
((vera.eckert@thomsonreuters.com)(+49 69 7565 1228)(Reuters Messaging: vera.eckert.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
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Keywords: MARKETS EUROPE/ELECTRICITY