The downward trend in electricity consumption in France continues, with a decrease of 5.8% last week compared to the average of previous years (2014-2019), according to data published this Tuesday by RTE, the network operator of electricity transmission in France.
This decrease is somewhat stronger than that of the previous week when electricity consumption fell by 5.4% in one week, which allows the fall of the last 4 weeks to remain at -6.5% on average compared to to the period 2014-2019.
A fall that mainly affects the industry
According to the network operator, the decrease “is largely concentrated in the industrial sector, in a context of rising energy prices.”
“The downward effect in the residential and tertiary sector exists”, underlines RTE, “but it is smaller and more difficult to characterize finely during the last weeks (presence of school holidays and holidays)”.
“In percentage, the bearish effect may be reduced over the next few weeks if it is observed mainly in sectors that are not or are slightly sensitive to heat, such as industry,” the company warns.
90 local authorities involved
Between November 13 and 20, consumption fluctuated between 48.7 and 58.7 GW/day. In a context of energy crisis, RTE has launched a weekly monitoring of electricity consumption in mainland France.
The published data was “in line with normal temperatures for the period” and is independent of the exceptionally mild values recorded in France in October and November.
RTE said on Friday it was confident the grid would hold until the end of the year, but predicted higher risks of stress in January due to the slower-than-expected restart of EDF’s nuclear reactors.
On Tuesday, 90 local authorities announced the commitment to consume less electricity, especially in the event of a great tension in the electrical system.
The government’s sobriety plan, presented on October 6, foresees a 10% reduction in energy consumption in the next two years in France compared to 2019, and 40% by 2050.
Source: BFM TV
