Power Supply Disruption
EDF Corse issued a call for moderation to consumers on Friday due to a breakdown in the electrical connection between Sardinia and Corsica, which will remain unusable “until mid-August.”
This disruption is causing a power shortage, particularly during evening peak consumption periods.
Corsica’s Power Supply
The island’s electricity supply relies on “an energy tripod: one-third from connections with Sardinia, one-third from renewable sources (solar and hydro), and one-third from the two thermal power plants of Vazzio in Ajaccio and Lucciana (Haute-Corse),” emphasized Vincent De Rul, EDF Corse’s regional director, during a press conference.
Sardinian Connection Issues
Corsica is connected to the Sardinian network through the Sacoi (Sardinia-Corsica-Italy) electrical link, with a capacity of 50 megawatts (MW), and the Sarco (Sardinia-Corsica) link, which provides 100 MW in winter but only 25 MW in summer during peak evening consumption due to increased demand in Sardinia.
Reduced Summer Capacity
The available electricity capacity in Corsica during summer is typically 450 MW (compared to 750 MW in winter). With summer electricity consumption “above 400 MW,” the usual safety margin “of around 40 MW” is reduced to about 15 MW this summer.
However, “for the past three weeks, the Sarco link has been unavailable” due to a “cable tear in Sardinia,” and normal operation is not expected to resume until “mid-August,” explained Mr. De Rul.
Backup Generators and Eco-Friendly Practices
EDF Corse has also had to “reduce the use of the Vazzio power plant” due to “tension in the Mediterranean fuel supply chain, particularly due to the strike at the port of Fos-sur-Mer” (Bouches-du-Rhône).
To compensate for these shortages, “we will utilize the hydraulic networks a bit earlier and more intensively,” particularly the Tolla (Corse-du-Sud) and Calacuccia (Haute-Corse) dams, where “one million cubic meters of water” will be consumed per dam per week over the next four to five weeks, detailed Mr. De Rul.
“Emergency generators” have also been activated on the island and can provide 44 megawatts, he added.
Call for Energy Conservation
EDF Corse is also urging consumers to adopt eco-friendly practices, such as shifting the use of electrical appliances, which “is good for the electrical system, good for the wallet, and good for the planet,” assured Mr. De Rul. During a previous similar call, “between 10 and 15 MW” were saved.