Controversy Surrounds Power Supply: A Clash of Opinions
Whatcha talkin' 'bout, RTE Scandal?
Electricity regulation by the EDF subsidiary RTE, which controls the electricity transportation network—and by extension the consumer bills via future costs—has reportedly paid up to 12,000 € per MWh to dispose of excess electricity on March 2, 2021. Sounds juicy, but according to RTE, they only billed 380 € per MWh to eliminate the excess power to Switzerland. The energy infrastructure, often the subject of politicization and media scrutiny, frequently becomes a platform for spin and confusion. Let's cut through the noise and get to the facts.
Skip the abstract and dive into reality:
Electricity, an endless source of debate, can be a philosophical playground, but it's always better to focus on the nuts and bolts. Stick to the science and data rather than general principles, which can be misleading and nonsense. The circumstances surrounding electricity production and consumption will always determine what is "good" or "bad."
Hey, numbers don't lie:
Wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, coal, or gas—each source has its pros and cons, but without quantifying those pros and cons, the discussion remains empty. Understand the variability of each energy source, not just group them as "intermittent" or "dispatchable." Learn the minimum and maximum electricity consumption for France, which varies between 30 GW and 100 GW annually. This knowledge is crucial for any meaningful discussion about the electricity system.
Dispatchable, with a twist:
It's true that nuclear power, with a total installed capacity of around 60 GW, is controllable and can help manage fluctuations in electricity demand throughout the year. However, this maximum production is rarely reached, as reactors need maintenance, refueling, and other periodic works. As a result, the maximum production capacity is only around 53 GW in winter for the next decade, ranging from 25 GW to 50 GW during winter and 40 GW for the rest of the year. The output of nuclear power can fluctuate significantly from 24 to 38 GW on a single day.
Dive into the details:
Hydroelectric power consists of a "fatal" and a controllable component. Floodwater flowing through river dams is the "fatal" part, while the controllable component includes lakes, pumping stations, and locks. The "fatal" part can produce between 2 GW (in a very dry summer) and 6 GW, while the controllable part can range from almost nothing (0.6 GW on a May Sunday at 3 PM) to around 10 GW, but only temporarily. Pumped Storage Plants, which store excess electricity by pumping water back up during periods of high production, can produce between zero to just over 3 GW.
Going intermittent:
Solar and wind power are "intermittent," depending on weather conditions. Solar production goes from several hours to zero at night, and can reach daily maxima of 18 GW (like on March 31, 2025, at 1:30 PM) but can also be limited to 2.5 GW. While these sources are partially controllable, they can only be reduced, not increased, and are subject to sudden changes. For example, on Sunday, April 20, France imported solar electricity from Germany at negative prices, reduced its solar production, and limited hydropower production while pumping stations were pumping at full capacity.
Visuals for better understanding:
Refer to RTE for data on energy production, or check out graphs from Jean-Paul Hulot (https://www.energethique.com/file/ARCEA/RTE/2025/Stat_RTE_2025-03.pdf) for a clearer picture.
Sylvestre Huet
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- The RTE, which regulates the transport of electricity in the industry, asserted that they only billed 380 € per MWh to eliminate excess power to Switzerland in 2021, despite initially paying up to 12,000 € per MWh.
- In the finance sector, understanding the variability of each energy source is essential, such as the minimum and maximum electricity consumption for France, which ranges between 30 GW and 100 GW annually.
- In the context of electricity production and consumption, nuclear power, which is a dispatchable energy source, has a total installed capacity of around 60 GW, but its maximum production capacity is only around 53 GW in winter for the next decade, fluctuating from 25 GW to 50 GW during winter and 40 GW for the rest of the year.
- Hydroelectric power, another energy source, comprises a "fatal" and a controllable component. On a dry summer, the "fatal" part can produce as little as 2 GW, while the controllable part can range from almost nothing up to around 10 GW, but only temporarily.
