Alleviating the network by temporarily cutting off the electricity supply is the State’s last resort for this winter, especially at the beginning of 2023. The operator of the electric transport system (RTE) and the Government are preparing for a possible load shedding.
However, this unprecedented situation raises many organizational questions, including whether the cuts will be temporary -two hours maximum- and announced in advance.
Right priority and reduced speed
First, if power goes out in certain areas, what happens to road traffic? Traffic lights could temporarily stop working, complicating traffic. “The traffic lights, it depends on the place,” said government spokesman Olivier Véran.
The complexity of electrical networks does not mean that all cities will not have traffic lights in case of load shedding. The situation may vary by area and therefore the prefects are asked to recommend that the French limit their movements during the two-hour cut-off.
In addition, public lighting will not be spared either, which can also affect travel and traffic.
Train traffic could be suspended
The case of train traffic is also especially delicate for the authorities. The latter are connected to an independent network and are not at risk of power outages. On the other hand, the supply of stations, level crossings or signaling could be affected.
The government does not want to take any risk on the rail network in case of loss of cargo and announces that it prefers to change trains if necessary.
“Being stuck on the subway for two hours is not an option”
For public transport, in cities in particular, the Government has asked the prefects to examine “the effective capacity to circulate throughout its entire route, during unballast hours, commuter trains, metros or trams”.
Otherwise, the circulation of public transport will be interrupted before the start of the power outage – communicated upstream – and for as long as it lasts.
“Either it goes from start to finish, or we prefer to interrupt for two hours, because spending two hours on the subway is not an option,” adds a government source
Source: BFM TV
