The probability of a power outage is “low”: from its “control tower,” the distribution network operator Enedis constantly monitors the security of the power supply for the Paris Olympics, a crucial issue, especially since the organizers have decided to forego generators running on polluting fossil fuels.
A Shift Away from Fossil Fuels
Traditionally, sporting and cultural events such as festivals rely on diesel-powered generators for their high energy needs: TV broadcasting, screens, lighting…
According to Enedis, the 2012 London Games required 4.3 million liters of diesel, a fuel that releases fine particles and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
But for these Olympics, the organizing committee has made a radically different choice: to rely on the electrical grid, thanks to a dual power supply – for added security – and to rely on generators only as a last resort. A small revolution…
The connection of the Olympics to electricity – which is mainly decarbonized in France – is part of the broader goal of halving the direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions of these Games compared to those in London and Rio.
Monitoring the Grid in Real Time
To ensure that the power flows at all times, Enedis monitors the electrical grid every day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. in its “control tower” installed at its headquarters in La Défense.
In front of screens, the team of supervisors coordinates the activity of the ten regional directorates, which are themselves responsible for monitoring the electricity distribution at the competition sites, the athletes’ village, the anti-doping centers…
Anticipating All Risks
“We are a bit like the traffic controllers of the Olympic network,” summarizes Frédéric Chebal, head of this 12-person unit, set up 6 months ago.
The EDF subsidiary, which distributes electricity over most of the territory, has undertaken 8,000 projects and operations over 6 years to connect and secure the power sources of the 42 Olympic and Paralympic sites and more than 200 celebration sites.
Among them, emblematic sites such as the Stade de France, the Arena Bercy, the Saint-Etienne stadium, and the Parc des Princes will now be able to operate entirely on the grid in a sustainable way, beyond the Olympic festivities.
The International Broadcast Center in Le Bourget, a highly sensitive site responsible for broadcasting the events to the world, also operates primarily on electricity.
“With all the work and efforts we have made, the probability of having a power outage is low. However, we are still organizing ourselves to deal with it,” explains Hervé Champenois, technical director of Enedis, to AFP.
It was necessary to anticipate all risks, even “marginal” ones. For example, periods of extreme heat that can weaken cables in inhabited urban areas near the sites. And other incidents that do not strictly speaking take place in the stadiums but can cause “chaos,” such as a traffic signal failure.
“Guardianship” Against Risks of Malicious Acts
“The purpose of this supervision structure is also to report on the state of the network: we make three reports per day” to the organizers and public authorities, explains Frédéric Chebal.
In the supervision room, the atmosphere is serene.
Next to a screen broadcasting the events live, another maps the state of the network in real time around each Olympic site, with a color code ranging from green to red to indicate an optimal situation or, on the contrary, a difficulty.
To quickly intervene in case of breakdowns, Enedis agents are also pre-mobilized near certain stadiums or even inside certain sites, for “more responsiveness,” such as the Vaires-sur-Marne site (kayak/rowing), which is very extensive.
Another precaution: Enedis has set up “guardianship” of the source substations supplying the sites, “to protect against malicious acts.” “It’s not easy to get in there, but you still have to monitor them, and besides, it’s dangerous,” explains Hervé Champenois.