Big plaid, lined slippers and hot herbal tea… Some French people are resigned: if there is no more heating this winter, they will have their own methods of keeping warm. Others are a little more worried about a potential energy crisis this winter, mainly linked to the war in Ukraine. This is the case of Julien, one of our readers, who via our WhatsApp bot asked us about a decree signed by the government which would allow “electricity cuts and load shedding measures in private homes”.
“Thanks to Linky meters, we will experience power cuts every day between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., from October 1, 2022 to May 15, 2023,” Julien tells us, citing a decree “relating to metering devices on public networks of distribution of electricity”, voted on last September 22. Was such a measure really passed? 20 minutes make the point.
FAKE OFF
This has been a recurring subject since the start of the crisis in Ukraine. Several shortages and rationing of electricity have been announced, often wrongly. In July, rumors had already made noise, in particular on the account of “La Plume Libre”, which quoted a Mediapart survey. “According to our information, a decree is being drafted to allow power cuts and load shedding measures for individuals, without these giving rise to compensation, unlike what is done for businesses” , wrote at that time the journalist from Mediapart. Contacted by the Fake Off service on this occasion, the cabinet of Agnès Pannier-Runacher denied the information, ensuring that such a decree was not on the “order of the day”.
Is it now? Indeed, a decree “relating to metering devices on public electricity distribution networks” was signed on September 22 and is visible on the Legifrance website. “The operators of public electricity distribution networks deactivate the closing of the controllable contact […] above mentioned between 11 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. This daily deactivation, which cannot be longer than two hours, begins before 2 p.m., ”cites article 1. However, this does not concern all households, assures Enedis, the EDF subsidiary in charge of the distribution of electricity. ‘electric energy. This has nothing to do either with households equipped with Linky meters, as indicated by some Internet users on social networks.
4.3 million customers affected
“Private customers, professionals and local authorities who have subscribed to a power less than or equal to 36 kVA and who have chosen a Peak Hours / Off-peak hours subscription with their electricity supplier are concerned”, explains Enedis to 20 minutes. In all, 4.3 million customers would be affected in France.
But what will really happen? From October 15 until April 15, 2023, Enedis will “temporarily” suspend the automatic switching signal linked to off-peak hours from noon to 2 p.m. This will mainly be the case for appliances with “controlled electrical uses”, for example hot water tanks. “A lever for securing the passage of winter”, indicates the company which promises a measure avoiding as much as possible the use of exceptional cuts, in particular during the peak of consumption at lunchtime.
This measure is in no way a punishment for the French, but a simple action of energy sobriety, assures the subsidiary of EDF. “The heating period will then take place during off-peak night hours, as is already the case for the majority of customers. The customer retains the pricing for peak hours/off-peak hours for all his consumption during this time from noon to 2 p.m. A measure that would save the equivalent of 3.5 GW, according to the Electricity Transmission Network (RTE).
The rather technical government text was simply misunderstood. The decree finally proposes that this heating period be done during off-peak hours of the night “as is already the case for a majority of customers”.