The government is refining its plan to prepare for the scenario of load shedding in January, in the event of a lack of electricity.
If the government takes action to prepare the country for possible power cuts this winter, in order to avoid the risk of “blackout», there are some French people who have less to worry about. These are the inhabitants of Paris and its inner suburbs. Indeed, as stated in the frequently asked questions opened by the government on its website, the capital will be less affected by potential load shedding.
In theory, in each department, priority users, therefore non-dischargeable (hospitals, emergency services, police stations, prisons, industrial sites at risk or of interest to national defence, etc.), cannot represent more than 38% of the department’s electricity consumption. “With the exception of territories with a concentration of priority infrastructures that support the whole country“, specifies the executive.
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20% of the consumption concerned
This is the case of Paris and its inner suburbs, with the multitude of sites of strategic importance for the whole of France (ministries, central administrations, etc.) located on the territory. Thereby, “in the capital, the list of priority sites, due to the design of the Parisian electricity network and its density, means that only 20% of electricity consumption can be cut“, explains the government on its site.
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But there is no question of completely sparing Paris from the effort required of each department – these are portions of departments which would be alternately cut, for a maximum of two hours each time. “There are additional constraints to cut in Paris, but it has been agreed that there will also be load shedding, out of solidarity”drags a source close to the folder to the Figaro.
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