The French have the immediate future of their electricity network in their hands.
Asked by TF1 during his visit to the United States, Emmanuel Macron wanted to send a reassuring message about the passage of winter, while concern is mounting about possible load shedding in the weeks to come.
“
Don't panic.
It is useless and it is not true
, ”replied the President of the Republic.
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Load shedding - these temporary, organized and controlled cuts - remain, as it stands, an "
extreme
" track, on which the executive is currently working, explained the Head of State, insisting on the "
fictitious
" aspect and improbable of this decision.
“
It is normal for the government to prepare an extreme case, because […], sometimes the unthinkable happens
,” he said, in reference to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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However, the possibility of resorting to these load shedding remains an avoidable solution: the authorities have many tools to reduce the pressure on the electricity network, such as the drop in voltage or the interruption of the supply of electricity to certain industrialists planned in contracts, before arriving at more general cuts.
In addition, this solution can be avoided if the weather is mild, and if the French reduce their electricity consumption, noted Emmanuel Macron: "
If, all together, we stick to the sobriety plan [...], it that is to say reduce by about 10% compared to our usual consumption, if we are all a little careful and EDF continues the work [...], then yes, we will be able to pass, even with a month of December and January cold,
".
The next few weeks "
[depend] on us
", concluded the tenant of the Élysée, calling on the French not to panic, and to show "
responsibility
" instead.