There is now a “high” risk of strains on the national power grid in January. This is what the manager of the French electricity transmission network RTE estimated on Friday, due to the restart of EDF nuclear reactors at a slower than expected shutdown.
The risk of using the Ecowatt system (and in particular the red alert signal) appears “high in January but will largely depend on weather conditions and the possible occurrence of even a moderate cold snap”, according to the monthly update of the “prospects for the electricity system published” by RTE.
The red alert signal from the Ecowatt device means that consumption is very high at the national level, “with a risk of power cuts” if the voltage persists. Only “a few red EcoWatt signals over the six months of winter” are envisaged by RTE, but the risk that the French will be called upon to reduce their electricity consumption in January has increased.
This risk is linked in particular to forecasts for the restart of shut down nuclear reactors which are more pessimistic than those of EDF. The reasons: the “social movements” in September and October, which put a stop to work as well as “delays and technical hazards” in routine maintenance. *
On the other hand, this situation is not linked to the work to resolve stress corrosion problems, programmed on 16 reactors considered to be “sensitive or highly sensitive” to this phenomenon. On the other hand, the risk for the month of December remains measured and should not be the subject of an alert.
The risk of “blackout” averted
The manager wants to be reassuring, estimating that during periods of tension, “the risk of power cuts can be avoided by reducing consumption by 1 to 5% in the central scenario and by a maximum of 15% in the most extreme scenario”.
In addition, the “very large majority of risk situations would be in the morning between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. and in the evening between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. They would not concern whole days or weekends. Finally, RTE insists on the fact that the risk of a “black-out”, ie a total blackout and loss of control of the system, must be ruled out.