- The health crisis, which has affected the maintenance schedule for nuclear reactors, could lead to tensions on the French electricity network. The situation is "unprecedented" and will require "great vigilance", says François Brottes, president of RTE.
- No blackout in sight, says both François Brottes and the minister of ecological transition Elisabeth Borne. They announced an anticipation plan to avoid possible tensions between electricity production and consumption.
- This plan activates several levers, both in terms of production and consumption. Élisabeth Borne thus announced the implementation of financial assistance of 150 euros for the installation of temperature control thermostats at home.
"There will be no blackout next winter in France". In other words: no risk of general power cut. The message was hammered on Thursday afternoon by Elisabeth Borne, Minister for the Ecological Transition, and François Brottes, Chairman of the Executive Board of RTE, the head of the French electricity transmission network.
Yet the situation to be prepared for is unprecedented, they conceded during a press briefing on the repercussions of the health crisis linked to Covid-19. During the confinement, "a certain number of maintenance works on the power plants could not be carried out according to the planned schedule," said the minister. This is particularly the case for periodic maintenance of nuclear reactors which require their temporary shutdown. "The challenge now is to avoid a concentration of work next winter, when we need electricity most, especially for heating," says Elisabeth Borne.
An optimization plan requested from EDF, another to anticipate from RTE
The minister says she has already been working for two months with EDF to optimize the shutdown and maintenance schedule for its reactors to ensure maximum availability during the winter, "all this in compliance with nuclear safety requirements". In parallel, the Ministry of Ecological Transition also entrusted RTE with the task of analyzing the consequences of these modifications to the repair schedule on the electricity supply next winter.
The first factor to anticipate is that of electricity consumption. If it fell in France during confinement - "up to 20% at the height of the crisis", specifies François Brottes - and only resumes gradually, RTE retains in its scenario for next winter a consumption which will pretty much the same as in 2019.
A 20% drop in nuclear production in 2020
On the production side, EDF had announced, on April 16, a 20% drop in its estimate of nuclear production in 2020, due to these delays or extensions of work. “We would then go from a production of 380 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2019 to something around 300 TWh in 2020, explains François Brottes. The difference is noticeable. And worrying? Not for François Brottes who says he is satisfied with the balances found by EDF in its plan to optimize maintenance work to ensure the maximum availability of its reactors next winter.
Above all, even if nuclear power provides 71% of French electricity production, it is not the only lever that can be activated to alleviate possible tensions on the electricity network. The last four coal-fired power stations still in operation in France and which are due to close by 2022 - "the calendar remains unchanged," says Elisabeth Borne - could provide some precious last services this winter in adjusting electricity production for adapt it to consumption peaks.
The assessments on the electricity supply this winter and the measures implemented are available here ⤵️https: //t.co/iPCkixPeRm
- Elisabeth BORNE (@Elisabeth_Borne) June 11, 2020Several levers to operate
The chairman of the RTE executive board focuses much more on renewable energies. Starting with hydroelectricity - historic renewable energy - which covers 11% of total French electricity production. "This is excellent news, the hydraulic stocks are at the highest for ten years," assures François Brottes. 95% filling rate. It will be necessary to point out at the end of the summer, in case a heat wave increases French electricity consumption up to operate the air conditioners. But a priori , this high occupancy rate will be a definite advantage to face next winter. "
No fear to have either on the other renewable energies, estimates RTE. "These energies are no longer anecdotal," says François Brottes. These cover 10% of French electricity consumption overall. But sometimes much more. On May 24, photovoltaic electricity production covered 18.2% of our consumption that day. And on May 11, we covered 30% of consumption with wind turbines. "The Covid-19 health crisis has resulted in a slight slowdown in housing starts for solar and wind projects," but investments have resumed and we should reach the volume of commissioning initially planned by 2020. "
Also play on energy savings
Finally, it is also necessary to add the possible exchanges of electricity with the foreigner. France has fifty interconnections with its neighboring countries "which make it possible to export or import the equivalent of what twelve nuclear reactors produce", specifies François Brottes. Again, significant help in the event of a major blow this winter.
But the Ministry of Energy Transition does not only seek to find solutions on the production side. Influencing our electricity consumption can also be a major issue to anticipate possible tensions on the electricity network. Clearly: make sure to lower electricity consumption. It is even on this point that Elisabeth Borne insisted, this Thursday afternoon, by stressing that confinement - a period when a very large majority of French people stayed at their home - did not translate into a peak in consumption. household electricity. "This tells us very clearly that there is, in normal times, obvious overconsumption," she says. For example keeping the device on standby or heating during absence. "
A boost for the installation of thermostats
Several levers can then be mobilized to reduce our consumption. Especially on the heating. The Minister for the Ecological Transition announces the establishment of a "boost" for the installation of temperature regulation thermostats, which allow not to heat above a certain temperature or not to heat at all in case of absence. This "boost" will take the form of aid of 150 euros in energy saving certificates from July 1. The ministry expects 20,000 to 40,000 devices installed per month. "For families that have them, these devices allow energy savings of 10%, which represents a gain of 100 to 200 euros per year on its bill," says Elisabeth Borne. In the same vein, an Ademe (Environment and Energy Agency) campaign will start in September to educate citizens about eco-gestures.
The other aspect of consumption control relates to the balance between supply and demand, during peak consumption. It is the tariff erasure which makes it possible to offer consumers offers which make it possible to have an energy price below the market average most of the time, in return for a dissuasive price in the event of a peak consumption on the network. A specific call for tenders is thus in preparation in order to favor the development of new tariff offers from September, announces the ministry.
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