Elisabeth Borne outlines possible scenarios in the event of an energy shortage
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The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, repeated it at the microphone of France InterThursday 1er September, three days after having assured him in front of the contractors of the Medef: the government estimates that it “there will be no gas cut for households” this winter. “We’ve been preparing for months to avoid having to make cuts”assured M.me Thick headed. However, with the energy crisis, linked to gas but also to electricity, the possibility of “load shedding” is frequently mentioned.
What is it about ? Targeted and temporary cuts in supply intended to relieve the system in the event of excessive tension, with a different operation for gas and electricity. When should cuts be organized this winter? Probably in case of “cold snap, [si] planned energy savings [d’ici là] are not carried out”summarized, Tuesday August 30, on Franceinfothe Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher.
A doubly weakened French system
This prospect is mentioned because the French energy system will face a double fragility this winter. In gas, the country suffered a gradual drying up of flows from Russia, and the Russian giant Gazprom must even completely cease its deliveries to the Engie group from 1er september. The authorities and manufacturers believe that France, which has diversified its supplies and is in the process of filling its storage, will have enough gas to spend a “normal” winter in terms of weather. On the other hand, there could be a temporary shortage in the event of a cold snap.
On the electricity side, the country is deprived of a good number of nuclear reactors, because twelve (out of the existing fifty-six) are shut down for corrosion problems, and EDF will have to be able to restart enough of them for the cold period. Added to this is a low filling of hydraulic stocks. France will therefore have to rely on imports from its neighbours.
Electricity: rotating cuts of two hours maximum
“In electricity, each year we prepare to have to deal with consumption peaks which can lead to rotating load shedding, i.e. we cut, over a short period of less than two hours, by district »explained Elisabeth Borne.
Before reaching this point, the network manager, RTE, has other means available: calls for citizen action to reduce consumption, interruption of supply to industrial sites paid for this, drop in voltage on the network, etc. If these means are not sufficient, RTE may have recourse to “the implementation as a last resort of momentary, localized and rotating cuts”. This load shedding does not last more than two hours, on specific time slots (from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.), and it would concern households in turn, district by district.
“Previously we identify sensitive users [hôpitaux, défense nationale, sécurité, industries à risque]to make sure that we don’t cut off the electricity to someone who has a medical device”, reassures Elisabeth Borne. High-risk patients treated at home (notably on artificial respirators) can report to benefit from a “special and personal information in the event of a power outage”underlines RTE.
Gas: only companies will be targeted
The situation is different for gas, where it is not possible to organize remote cuts as for electricity. “If we lower our gas consumption by 10%, there will be no restrictions. It is something that is within our reach. But if we do not make these savings, if we do not mobilize enough, if the winter is cold, there may be restrictions, but they will not concern households, for whom there will be no cuts ”warns M.me Thick headed.
“It’s not a household that stops its gas installation on its own, it’s far too dangerous, so it can only be technical teams that can stop and therefore [seuls] industrial (…) can do it”explained M.me Pannier-Runacher. “The adjustment variable will be the manufacturers”added the president of the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), Emmanuelle Wargon.
France has started to organize a possible gas shedding, with a decree published in April to regulate it. The system concerns less than 5,000 large consumers, with exceptions provided for essential public services (hospitals, schools, etc.) and certain businesses. On the other hand, certain industrial or tertiary customers (shopping centres, concert halls, stadiums, etc.) are targeted.
The consumer must comply with a load shedding order “within two hours of receipt”, specifies the decree. Then the cut “It doesn’t last two hours, because stopping a valve takes time: it can last a day, two days”according to M.me Pannier-Runacher.
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