Temperatures drop in Brittany as energy prices are exploding. How then fenergy saving area? To answer us, the RTE delegate in the West was the guest of France Bleu Armorique this Monday.
- France Bleu Armorique: RTE is the electricity transport manager who for this winter has decided to generalize to all of France a system that has existed for 14 years in Brittany: Ecowatt. What is Ecowatt?
Carole Pitou Agudo : Ecowatt is a device that gives us the electricity weather forecast on a daily basis. Here, in this case, we are preparing for a tense winter. So the objective with this device is to be able to inform the French about the evolution of the electrical system for the days to come.
- ABF: So, for example, you can receive an SMS on your phone when consumption has peaked and you have to be careful?
Carole Pitou Agudo : Absolutely. I take advantage of the antenna to do site advertising “monecowatt.fr”. It is therefore sufficient to register on this site and then indeed everyone will be able to receive SMS alerts. Today, for example, there is no alert. If there is, we receive an SMS. This is important because there is a risk of increased tension on the electrical system for the coming winter, but which remains entirely manageable if we are collectively careful.
- ABF: Ecowatt has existed in Brittany for 14 years. Is it already used by the Bretons?
Carole Pitou Agudo : Indeed, it is a device that we deployed fourteen years ago in Brittany to face the specific risks that we could encounter in Brittany. And on the strength of its success, we therefore decided to generalize to the whole of France. To face, therefore, the coming winter.
- ABF: Why Brittany? Because we have a particular situation in terms of electricity?
Carole Pitou Agudo : Indeed, Brittany had a historical configuration in terms of electricity supply, with difficulties that we could occasionally encounter in winter, during peak electricity consumption. But now, thanks to the actions that have been taken over the past decade, Brittany’s power supply has been well secured notably with the construction of a new power line between the south and the north of Brittany, between Lorient and Saint-Brieuc. And then, last spring, a new means of production was put into service at the tip of Finistère, in Landivisiau, which helps to secure the supply of Brittany.
- ABF: With Ecowatt, we can all make easy eco-gestures to reduce electricity consumption
Carole Pitou Agudo : Absolutely. The goal is to really make all French people aware of the importance of doing these things during peak consumption. So it’s on the time slot from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. There are very simple eco-gestures. The most effective will be to lower the heating by one degree, but also to turn off the lights in the rooms that are unoccupied. To illustrate these savings, we can explain that if all French people turn off a light bulb, a simple light bulb, we save the cumulative consumption of the metropolises of Brest and Rennes. So it’s within everyone’s reach and it can actually allow us to overcome consumption peaks.
- ABF: You can also postpone the use of your washing machine or dishwasher…
Carole Pitou Agudo : Absolutely. So, as I told you, it is important to be able to identify peak consumption, including in the evening during the 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. time slot. And there, we invite all the French to postpone the use. For example eviction of the washing machine, the drying of the dishes which are household appliances which are consumers. You have to be able to shift them by a few hours.
- ABF: Does RTE also work with companies that also have to make consumption efforts for this winter 2022/2023?
Carole Pitou Agudo : Yes, we have widely sensitized companies, also local authorities. The objective being that everyone mobilizes to be able to pass these winter consumption peaks.
- ABF: Can we expect several consumption peaks?
Carole Pitou Agudo : We studied different scenarios. We expect up to five days of peaks should we have cool weather this winter. And ten red signals in the context of very degraded scenarios. But I still want to be reassuring. The number of days remains limited and above all we will be able to warn upstream, three days in advance, if we really observe a risk.