Many people living in Brittany are used to frequent power cuts during the winter months but this winter could be worse than usual according to RTE who are responsible for the electricity network that supplies the region. The problem is that Brittany is the end of the line as far as the electricity grid is concerned and does not produce enough electricity locally to meet the needs of its inhabitants. When temperatures in the region drop power consumption rises and EDF are forced to cut supplies to some areas.

Each year the demand and consumption of electricity in the region grows at a higher rate than it can be supplied. Rather than sort out the infrastructure to produce enough power to go round the response from EDF, the RTE and the Regional Council is to ask the residents of Brittany to sign up to be alerted by text message when electricity demands are at their peak. It is hoped that by alerting consumers to the problem that they will then switch off any unnecessary items and so reduce consumption in the hope of avoiding power cuts.

You can sign up to be alerted by SMS at www.ouest-ecowatt.com, the website is maintained by RTE and the service will run throughout the winter of 2008/2009.

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