12/23/2022
The government, meanwhile, has again urged businesses andĀ individuals to continue efforts to reduce energy consumptionĀ to reduce the risk of blackouts this winter because of the global energy crisis and rising prices ā setting a target of a 10 percent cut in energy usage over the winter.
āCompared to the previous update, the downward effect is accentuated,ā grid operator RĆ©seau de Transport dāĆlectricitĆ© (RTE) said in a statement confirming the latest fall in electricity use in France.
Power demand has fallen by about nine percent compared to the pre-pandemic five-year average, RTE said, while the risk of blackouts through the rest of winter has been reduced to āmediumā due to increased production and reduced demand.
According to official figures, nuclear power availability exceeded 40 gigawatts (GW) on December 12th, while hydro power hit a near record peak of 16 GW in December.
āThe decrease in electricity consumption is mainly carried by industry, because of rising electricity prices,ā RTE said.
āLarge-scale industry shows a fall of consumption similar to that of the previous week: the bearish effect at the national level is accentuated because of the contribution of other sectors.ā
Some businesses have cut back on production in light of rising energy costs. A few ā like glassmaker Duralex ā have suspended production all together.
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