Conséquences énergétiques de la sécheresse pour la production d'électricité

Energy consequences of the drought on electricity production

EDF, Service de la Production hydraulique

Abstract

The consequences of the drought of the winter 1988-89 on the management of electricity production by EDF are both immediate and future.

In the short term, the shortage of electricity produced in plants that use water must be compensated for by use of more costly thermic means, in the long term the stock of seasonal lakes must be reconstituted for the following Winter.

Moreover, weak natural flow rates, in particular on the Rhone, lead to very tense management of the hydraulic chain and the head reservoirs, in order to ensure cooling of nuclear power stations.

Finally, in order to satisfy external requirements for next Summer (tourism, nautical sports) it is even more necessary to exploit certain establishments.