Faced with growing concern linked to the risk of potential “shedding”, Emmanuel Macron bangs his fist on the table. The president criticized, Tuesday, December 6, “the scenarios of fear” related to the risk of power cuts this winter.
“Stop all that! We are a great country, we have a great energy model, we will hold out this winter despite the war. And I ask everyone to do their job”said the president arriving at a European summit in Tirana, Albania. “EDF’s job is to run the power stations; the job of government is for there to be planning; Everyone’s job is to roll out sobriety.”he added, judging ” dumb “ the ” debate ” that he had “heard in the last few hours”.
The cuts, a “fictional scenario”
Already on Saturday, the president wanted to be reassuring. “Don’t panic, it’s useless”launched Emmanuel Macron, on TF1. Two days earlier, the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, assured that her government was doing ” everything ” to avoid the “load shedding”.
The government, who says anticipate “all scenarios” to a extent of ” forecast “, sent a circular to the prefects at the end of November so that they prepare their department in the event of cuts. These random load shedding, of a maximum of two hours, which could concern 60% of the population and would occur at times of peak consumption, are still only a “fictitious scenario”insists the head of state. “It is normal for the government to prepare an extreme case”said Mr. Macron.
In the event of a very tense situation in the electricity system this winter, particularly in January, the “electricity weather forecast”, EcoWatt, managed by the Electricity transmission network (RTE) will emit a red signal three days in advance to alert the risk of targeted and temporary outages, so that everyone implements measures to avoid them.
If consumption does not drop after the red signal is issued, rotating two-hour blackouts organized on portions of departments would be “inevitable”according to RTE.