What is the interruptible load programme and what purpose does it serve?

The Public Transport Network Defense Plan includes "all curative, ultimate and automatic actions, intended to counter phenomena whose speed of appearance and development excludes any possibility of human intervention". These actions are of 5 types. The 5th type of action provides for the participation of defense service providers and active participation in demand (namely the interruptibility device) before the activation of automatic load shedding.

The interruptibility device therefore makes it possible to manage critical operating situations of the electrical system.

Under this programme, RTE can interrupt one or several industrial consumers in less than 5 seconds.

A total of 5 sites representing 531 MW have been contracted through a call for tenders for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2023.

They can be activated according to the following criteria:

• automated simultaneous activation of all sites, on a basis of supply-demand balance;
• manual activation by dispatching, site-to-site, according to local needs.

The cumulated interruptible capacity must not exceed 1200 MW, and must be covered by sites with an interruptible load of 10 MW or more.

Who is eligible for this programme?

Any consumption site connected to the public transmission grid, with a contract power greater than 25 MW and with a process allowing for interruption of its consumption (falling below a power limit) in less than 5 seconds, is eligible for the interruptible load programme.

What is technical approval?

In addition to the interruptible load contract, a winner of the tender must also be given technical approval before the start of the contract. This approval is granted by RTE if the following technical conditions are fulfilled:

• the site meets the technical characteristics required to implement the interruptible load service (power level, interruption delays, etc.).
• the site has the equipment necessary to implement the interruptible load service (telecommunication links with RTE).
• the site has successfully passed an actual interruption test.

Sites that meet the following cumulative conditions are automatically approved for the interruptibility system for the year 2023:

• The candidate has an interruptibility contract for this site for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2022 and still in force on December 1 , 2022;
• any faulty activation of the interruptible capacity of this site during 2022 was followed by an activation test recognized as compliant by RTE;
• the ceiling power proposed for this site by the candidate is greater than or equal to the ceiling power mentioned in the Interruptibility Contract valid for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2022.

Who can participate in an interruptible load call for tenders?

From November 9^th to November 28^th 2022, RTE launched a consultation to select the candidates with whom an interruptibility contract will be signed for a one year period from 1 January 1^st 2023 to December 31^st 2023.

It is aimed at all consumption sites connected to the national transmission system and able to offer interruptible capacity in accordance with the provisions described in the orders.

The principal elements of the call for tenders 2023

• Tender regulation
• Approval procedure (Appendix 2 of the tender regulation)
• Contract template
• Specifications
• Appendix 1 of the Specifications
• Appendix 2 of the Specifications
• Appendix 3 of the Specifications
• Files for the submission of technical tenders
• CRE deliberation of October 28 approving the defense service for active participation in demand
• CRE deliberation of October 27, 2022, approving the updated on the defense service providers and active participation in demand.

Contacts

If you have any questions, you can contact your usual account manager.