Nearly 200,000 households remained without electricity Friday evening after a heavy snowfall in the Rhône-Alpes, which caused the death of a motorist - crushed by a tree - and disrupted traffic on several roads and railways.
The situation is gradually improving but 190,000 homes were still without power at 20h, 140,000 less than in the morning, mainly in Drôme, Ardèche, Isère, Rhone, Loire and Alpes-de-France. Haute-Provence, according to Enedis.
"There are two days of hard work," Robin Devogelaere, director of communications for the electricity grid operator, told Europe 1. The closure of roads has also complicated the task of "more than 2,000 technicians" Enedis and partner companies (work and pruning) mobilized in the field, according to the manager who unleashed his "Rapid Response Force electricity (FIRE) "in reinforcement.
300 places of accommodation put in place
Prefectures and local authorities have identified the places to be recharged first, via the network or by 210 generating sets being installed or routed. In Romans-sur-Isère in Drôme, the most affected department, shops have not opened Friday for lack of power, as well as the town hall. Sports equipment will remain closed this weekend, as well as schools on Monday for security checks. The prefecture of the department has made available 300 places of accommodation in emergency, in addition to the usual device, to accommodate people without power.
More than 10,000 private customers and companies of the Orange telephone operator have also been deprived of fixed telephony in Drôme and Ardèche, and some 50,000 Internet customers.