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Power cutsLuxembourg is preparing for the worst possible scenario
LUXEMBOURG – The energy supply situation in Europe is tight as we enter winter. But the Grand Duchy says it is ready and confirms that it is much less worried than other countries.
At all levels, Luxembourg is aware of the current energy crisis in Europe. Without waiting for winter and even since last June, general electricity consumption has decreased each month compared to the same months of previous years. Gas and electricity are concerned. Is it a trompe-l’oeil in the summer period? Could the country be disenchanted this winter as it woke up this Friday with negative mercury? “I am not worried because we have worked a lot,” replied the Minister of Energy, Claude Turmes, on Friday morning, during a joint press briefing with the supplier Creos.
The Luxembourg government had already hammered it but once more wanted to reassure very officially. “In recent weeks, we have sat around the table to check if everyone was well prepared, including economic players, just in case. A “case where” which is not very probable”, insists Claude Turmes. But at a time when France in particular is agitated in the face of possible future power cuts to relieve its network, the Grand Duchy has nevertheless envisaged the worst-case scenario for the coming weeks.
Follow national consumption in real time
All the plans have just been updated, that of preparation for risks for the electricity sector, like that of defense of the electricity network. A level of vigilance and organization raised “in the new geopolitical context”, says the Ministry of Energy. And for people, on a daily basis, the ministry and Creos have developed the “StroumMonitor”, a new online tool which indicates the national level of electricity consumption in real time.
In green a balanced situation, in orange a tense system which invites us to reduce our consumption and in red, an extreme scenario, a crisis situation which might lead to cuts if our reduction in consumption is insufficient. “This is an important means of transparency”, slips Simon Hagspiel, Government Commissioner for Energy.
“Our country is one of those with the best energy performance”
And Claude Turmes insists, he is hopeful that we will spend the whole winter “in green”, especially since in terms of energy supply, Germany has for its part assured Luxembourg in recent hours that there was ‘no problem’. However, if our network goes into orange or even red alert, professionals and the population will be alerted via national channels.
Any load shedding would first concern high voltage consumer sites, “except critical infrastructure” such as hospitals. “But our system is prepared to handle spikes. And the dependence on outside temperatures is less strong in Luxembourg than in other countries”, further relativizes Simon Hagspiel. And Claude Turmes to conclude this Friday: “Our country is one of those which has the best energy performance. We are very well equipped to deal with all eventualities. But prevention is better than cure.
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