Electricity in Corsica: EDF calls for shifting consumption away from the 19 p.m. to 00 p.m. peak

"The summer season is a very special time for electricity, as all parameters change during this period," with consumption increasing due to rising temperatures and increased traffic, and in response to limited production resources, explained Patrice Rossi, deputy director of EDF in Corsica, at a press conference.

Thus, while a thousand megawatts of electricity are available in Corsica during the year, this falls to 450 MW during the summer season, from mid-June to mid-September, with "a particularly tense period from mid-July to mid-August," explained Amandine Bono, head of the electricity system management department at EDF SEI (Island Energy Systems) Corsica.

In summer, "the available power is lower because imports are limited from Sardinia and we can use less hydroelectric production due to safety constraints and issues of water conservation for other uses," she explained, recalling that, in the evening, photovoltaic production cannot be used.

However, consumption at peak times in the summer of 2024 was 440 MW, and it increases every year, which leaves a reduced safety margin, she indicated, specifying that in the event of particular difficulties "52 MW of generators will be mobilized in less than 15 minutes from July 1st."

"We are encouraging consumers to shift their consumption to solar hours, between noon and 16 p.m., and to reduce it during the busiest hours, between 00 p.m. and 19 p.m.," summarized Ms. Bono, specifying that renewable energy production, mainly photovoltaic in Corsica, represents 00 MW.

To optimize its electricity consumption at the most favorable times, EDF provides the eCorsicaWatt application, downloadable on phones, which indicates the status of production in real time but also, since this year, the "hours when production is most carbon intensive" and therefore when less should be used, Mr. Rossi specified.