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EUROPE POWER-Spot prices down on lower demand, more German solar

* German solar power output expected to rise on Friday

* France seen adding 1.5 GW in nuclear power capacity

* Steady oil lifts forward curve and other fuels

PARIS, July 21 (Reuters) - European spot electricity prices for day-ahead delivery fell on Thursday pressured by a decline in consumption ahead of the weekend, and a rise in German solar power output for Friday.

Power demand in Germany and France on Friday is expected to fall by slightly over 1 gigawatts (GW) as consumption eases for the weekend, Thomson Reuters (Dusseldorf: TOC.DU - news) data showed.

Keeping bearish pressure on prices, German renewable solar power supply will rise by 1.7 GW day-on-day to 6.7 GW on Friday, the data showed.

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French nuclear power capacity is seen increasing by 1.5 GW, pushing nuclear availability to 64 percent of the possible total, from 62 percent a day earlier, while German nuclear capacity is expected to increase by 100 megawatts.

German baseload power for Friday delivery fell 2.5 euros or 7.35 percent, to 31.50 euros ($34.71) per megawatt-hour (MWh), while the equivalent French contract lost 4 euros or 10.19 percent, to 35.70 euros/MWh.

Along the forward power curve the German benchmark year-ahead position reversed earlier losses on Thursday and turned positive as oil rose, lifting other energy prices.

Oil prices steadied after the U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) . Energy Department reported a ninth consecutive weekly drawdown of crude stocks but an overall build in oil inventories.

German baseload power for next year, Cal '17 rose 0.05 euro or 0.18 percent to 27.70 euros a megawatt-hour (MWh). The equivalent French contract was at 33.70 euros/MWh, 0.45 euro or 1.35 percent up.

European coal prices for 2017 rose $0.25 to $59.00 a tonne. Front-year EU carbon allowances rose 0.64 percent to 4.72 euros a tonne.

British prompt gas prices rose on Thursday as demand from the power sector increased due to lower output from wind farms and an outage that cut gas supply.

In eastern European power, the Czech year-ahead position was untraded with a bid/ask price of 27.50/28.75, while the next day position fell 1.5 euros to 33.50 euros. ($1 = 0.9076 euros) (Reporting by Bate Felix, editing by William Hardy)