Remember to turn off when you go out! During a period of confinement, the benefit of the recall seems less obvious. However, electricity consumption fell by 15% during this period of the coronavirus pandemic. But for producers, it is important to organize to ensure the maintenance of the service. “Even if there is a significant drop in consumption, it is essential to maintain a certain level of electricity production, insists Florent Nguyen, of the Oresys cabinet. Today, all the means of production normally available are. "
EDF is therefore organizing to ensure that its nuclear power plants - which supply more than 70% of electricity in France - operate despite the spread of the virus. "Today, even in our most pessimistic plans, we think we are able to produce enough electricity for all French people at any time," slipped CEO Jean-Bernard Lévy at the microphone of Europe 1. The group, which implemented a pandemic plan almost 20 years ago, believes that it can operate its facilities even with 40% absenteeism for two to three weeks and with 25% fewer staff for twelve weeks. For this, teams have already been withdrawn in order to replace employees in the event of difficulty.
As a last resort, EDF can use its “rapid nuclear action force”, an emergency response unit created after the Fukushima disaster (2011) and capable of taking control of any reactor. A solution deemed "ultimate" by the operator. In the meantime, with cases of coronavirus detected in several nuclear power plants, measures have been taken to limit the risks of further contamination. The workforce has thus been reduced at several production sites. In nuclear power plants, measures have also been taken: elimination of internal shuttles, more frequent cleaning, sanctuarization of the control room where the teams that control the reactor take turns ... In Flamanville (Manche), where the two reactors are currently arrested, EDF even went further because of several potential cases of new coronavirus and only admits a hundred people to the site, compared with around 800 usually.
Worried employees
The concern about the risks of contamination is nevertheless growing among employees. In particular due to the use of radioactivity detection gates, through which all workers must pass when leaving a nuclear zone. Some feared they could catch the virus in these cramped cabins. "There have been alert rights issued by employees in relation to these control gates," says Thierry Raymond, CGT central union delegate at EDF. A procedure has been implemented by the management which requires more frequent cleaning and the wearing of gloves instead of having bare hands in the equipment ”.
EDF has also slowed down the reactor maintenance program, which allows them to operate at full capacity during the following winter, when consumption is at a peak.
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