The risk of the grid being energized, during the winter and in particular at the beginning of 2023, is considered high by the operator of the electricity transmission network (RTE). To deal with it, rotating, organized and temporary power cuts can be established, which consist of disconnecting entire areas of the territory.
According to RTE, these cuts will occur at peak times, for a maximum of two hours. They will be “objectives by geographical area of 2,000 average customers (homes and professionals) supplied by the same power line”, indicates the Government, that is, the equivalent of “a district in a city and up to several municipalities in a rural area”. .
40% of the French exempt
However, the places identified as “priority” will not be affected by any load shedding. These include hospitals, national defense facilities, or establishments that may suffer damage in case of interruption of their operation.
In addition, Corsica is exempt from these possible load shedding because the island is not connected to the continental electricity grid and has its own production and has an electrical connection with Italy.
Thus, the French who live in an area connected to a line that supplies a priority user or a vital place that cannot be cut will be “exempt from cuts”. According to the government, this situation affects about 40% of the inhabitants, according to the responses given by the government in a circular.
“The load shedding will be distributed throughout the territory. It is a leopard skin configuration, there will be a form of fairness. The same area will not download twice in a row. Each time, the portion cut will be very small,” the government said.
20% of consumption can be reduced in Paris
In Paris, the list of priority sites, due to the design of the Parisian electrical network and its density, means that only 20% of electricity consumption can be cut.
The prefect will thus work on “voluntary” capital contributions, explains the government. It will be a question of the inhabitants and companies, which are located in areas with critical infrastructures that cannot be cut off, be supportive and exemplary by reducing their electricity consumption to the maximum.
According to RTE and the Government, the cuts will be distributed throughout the territory, in small areas, a cutting post corresponding to some 2,000 customers). The day before the load break, around 5:00 p.m., the French will be invited to consult the installed tools to find out precisely whether or not they are concerned about a possible temporary cut the next day and at what time.
Source: BFM TV
