A tense winter. In an unprecedented energy context, the operator of the French electricity transmission network RTE has updated its forecast study for winter 2022-2023. “This year, the vigilance period begins exceptionally in the fall and now extends over several months,” the statement said.

The analysis of the coming season has made it possible to predict only “a few EcoWatt red signals” over the six months of winter, and excludes any risk of total loss of control of the electrical system, also called “blackout”. “When the electrical system is very tight, the risk of a cut cannot be completely excluded, but it could be avoided by lowering national consumption (…) Extreme situations (which would combine all the unfavorable hazards) are not the most likely,” said RTE.

Nevertheless, the manager sounded the alarm about January, when there is now a “high” risk of tensions on the national electricity grid. The slow restart of shutdown EDF nuclear reactors and the cold associated with this time of year are in question. The risk of voltage, and therefore of power outages, “will largely depend on climatic conditions and the possible occurrence of even a moderate cold snap”.

In the slideshow below, Planet gives an overview of the voltage risks on the electricity network for each month between October and March.