"RTE asks companies and communities to moderate their consumption on Monday morning (in particular between 07:00 and 10:00 a.m.) and asks French people who can to shift their electricity consumption to this weekend rather than Monday with regard to the use household appliances," he said in a statement on Saturday.
This national Ecowatt "orange" signal (which can go as far as red) from the network manager comes because of the drop in temperatures, which should increase electricity consumption.
It will be "high" on Monday and could reach 73,000 MW around 09:00.
National production should be only 65,000 MW at the same time, but France should be able to import up to 11,000 MW to pass this milestone, according to RTE, which believes that the situation could however be "tense".
The manager of the RTE electricity network predicts a tense situation on Monday morning due to the cold and calls for a curb on consumption GERARD JULIEN AFP/Archives
"RTE, however, does not envisage a power cut on Monday morning, unless hazards were to arise this weekend", specifies the company, which will update its analyzes on Sunday.
Saving gestures (switching off appliances on standby or light bulbs, lowering the heating, etc.) are presented on the site.
"These gestures can have a real impact": "if all French people turn off a light bulb, this leads to a saving in electricity consumption of 600 MW, or approximately the consumption of a city like that of Toulouse", explains RTE.
The Bugey nuclear power plant, in Saint-Vulbas, in Ain, on January 25, 2022 JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP / Archives
The French electricity system is under tension this winter due in particular to the low availability of the nuclear fleet, linked to a heavy maintenance schedule, further disrupted by the 2020 confinements. Currently, 27 nuclear reactors are unavailable out of 56.
The Saint-Avold coal-fired power plant (Moselle) has also just closed, even if it could possibly be put back into operation next winter.
© 2022 AFP