The French were more than 20 million in front of their TV to attend the victory of the Blues against Morocco this Wednesday, and this was felt on electricity consumption. The match upset the electricity consumption curve in France on Wednesday evening, according to the network manager RTE, which recorded an unusual peak after the final whistle.
“It was not the victory that boosted consumption, but the match itself that had an impact on the use of electricity, as happens for football matches with large numbers of viewers. in front of the same television set, as during the 2018 World Cup ”, underlines this Thursday the operator.
A little recovery at halftime
At the time of the anthems and the kick-off at 8 p.m., consumption fell “more than usual in France”, a sign that many French people were captivated by the match and stopped going about other activities. electricity consumers.
At half-time, at 8:50 p.m., while France was leading 1-0, RTE noted a small recovery in electricity consumption, which for some supporters meant a break, to prepare something to eat, change rooms and resume their other everyday electrical uses.
Consumption then dipped again when the game resumed and the fans of both teams riveted themselves in front of the screen, holding their breath. The end of the match was followed by a rebound in electricity consumption, according to RTE, which specifies that at 10 p.m., usual consumption had been found.
RTE on standby for the final
“RTE’s dispatchers are prepared for the variations in consumption expected during this type of event and know how to manage them, so there is no risk to the security of electricity supply”, insists RTE, which manages the lines at high and very high voltage. RTE will closely monitor electricity consumption during Sunday afternoon’s match in the final between France and Argentina.
Electricity consumption is the subject of increased vigilance this year due to soaring prices, even tempered by price shields, and nuclear electricity production at its lowest. France could however be spared the risk of power cuts this winter, especially if the signals calling for a reduction in consumption are respected.