RTE Lowers Risk of Electricity Grid Strain in January Thanks to a Mild Start to Winter

With the help of a relatively mild start to winter, RTE has announced a downgrade of the risk of electricity grid strain in January to a medium level. However, it is important to consider that sudden temperature drops could quickly reignite concerns about potential power outages.

Aided by Lower Consumption Levels

It appears that France is successfully integrating energy consumption regulation into daily life. The numbers are striking: a 9% decrease in consumption over the past four weeks, with efforts distributed across sectors (-12% for industry and -7% for residential and tertiary sectors). Prohibitive energy prices have also encouraged consumers across the board to cut back, which is ultimately beneficial.

Thomas Veyrenc, RTE’s Executive Director, has expressed satisfaction with this situation. Even the most optimistic forecasts did not anticipate such a high level of commitment from everyone. He also acknowledged that weather conditions are not the sole factor contributing to this reduction in consumption.

Contributing Factors

Hydraulic reserves, which had been affected by drought, were replenished during the autumn, and gas reserves have been depleted less than expected due to mild weather in October and November. Additionally, there has been a significant improvement in the nuclear fleet’s capacity, which surpassed 40 gigawatts (GW) on December 12, following the reactivation of several reactors.

Positive Outlook for the End of the Year

As a result of these favorable developments, the need to activate the “Ecowatt red” alert system for the remainder of the year is nearly “nonexistent.”

The scenario outlined by RTE in September is now being reconsidered, with projections suggesting that the number of Ecowatt red alerts could range from zero to three. This is undoubtedly good news.