The president of the Energy Regulatory Commission Emmanuelle Wargon at the Elysee Palace, November 8, 2022 (AFP/Archives/STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN)
“Risks” of targeted and rotating power cuts exist in France “in January” in the event of too cold weather and if consumers do not reduce their consumption during alerts, warned Saturday morning the president of the Regulatory Commission of Emmanuelle Wargon’s energy.
“We thought that the risks would start in November or December, and now we are calmer, we are really reassured about November and December, on the other hand as there have been delays (in the return to production of certain nuclear power plants, NDR) at EDF, we have a form of concern or vigilance for January” declared Ms. Wargon on France Info.
In January, according to forecasts published Friday by the operator of the electricity network RTE, EDF should be able to supply 40 gigawatts (GW), or 65% of the installed nuclear capacity.
At this time of year, usually “we are more around 50, or even at most around 60 GW. However, we will be more around 40, and with 40 GW, we don’t have much room for manoeuvre,” Ms. Wargon said.
There “will be no blackout”, assured the manager. “The system that jumps, it’s not going to happen,” she said. “The worst that can happen are targeted, determined cuts that rotate from city to city,” she added.
“I am very convinced that on the first day Ecowatt (alert device, editor’s note) red everyone will take it seriously” to punctually reduce its consumption and thus avoid a cut, she continued.
The electricity transmission system operator RTE warned on Friday that there was now a “high” risk of tensions on the French electricity network in January, due to the slower than expected restart of EDF nuclear reactors.
© 2022 AFP
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