Meeting in progress on EDF’s energy crisis situation.
MARIGOT--The Collectivité represented by First Vice-President Alain Richardson convened a meeting on Friday, June 13, with Préfet Cyrille Le Vély, Director of Electricité de France (EDF) Archipel Guadeloupe, Marie-Line Bassette, and their respective teams, as well as representatives of the territory's economic institutions, to discuss the sensitive issue of energy production and difficulties encountered in Saint Martin since September 2024 with regard to electricity generation.
Representatives of the organisations present included the Chamber of Commerce CCISM, the Economic, Social and Cultural Council CESC, Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF), Tourism Club of Saint-Martin, and various architects.
The aim of this exchange was to highlight the malfunctions at the power plant since September 2024 (a crack in a motor in unit one and the weakening of the motors in unit two) and the crisis management that has been ongoing since then, in the face of a 7% increase in energy consumption in 2024.
It was noted that the crisis situation will continue, with the renovation of equipment calling for relatively consequential deadlines and unavoidable power outages, despite the temporary installation of supporting generators.
The solutions lie in the signature of the Multi-Year Energy Plan (PPE) which has been blocked for several months by the state services in Paris. The PPE plans, among other things, the construction of a new plant promoting sustainable energy production, and maintaining tariff equalisation with France.
It is also a roadmap for France’s energy transition, outlining measures to decarbonise the energy system and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. It sets energy priorities, guides investments, and aligns energy resources with climate goals.
The current plan covers the periods 2019-2023 and 2024-2028, with a focus on reducing fossil fuel dependence and increasing renewable energy sources.
In the meantime, a joint work is being carried out by the Collectivité and EDF, with the support of Préfet Le Vély, to deploy intermediate solutions capable of compensating the difficulties of producing electricity.
The risk of overconsumption and energy savings was also discussed. Consumers are advised to equip themselves with more energy-efficient equipment in order to consume less. EDF’s “Agir Plus” programme accompanies this approach tied in with incentives to the consumer.
First Vice President Alain Richardson recalled that this mandate had embraced the Energy competence developed at the Collectivité in 2012, to modernise its equipment and enable Saint-Martin to deploy public policies adapted to needs and promote renewable energies.
This is the whole issue of the PPE prepared by the Collectivité that is now waiting to be signed by the State.
On his side, President Louis Mussington is currently in Paris, where he met on Tuesday, June 10, with Energy Regulation Commission CRE director Emmanuelle Wargon, on issues related to energy production in Saint-Martin and the need to sign the PPE.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/edf-lays-bare-energy-concerns-with-stakeholders-at-collectivite-meeting
