The electricity distribution network operator Enedis has published the map of France with the most energy-efficient departments over a period from October 15, 2022 to February 5, 2023. Territorial disparities have been observed between the north and the south of France. And it is in the South-West of France that the declines are the most significant. Europe 1 takes stock.
A milder winter in the south
Lot (-13.9%), Landes (-13.6%) and Aude (-12.6%) are the departments where the electricity consumption by individuals fell the most this winter according to Enedis figures released by France Blue. “I was very careful about the time slots. Rather than the heating starting at 6 a.m., it was moved to 7 a.m. In the evening, rather than decreasing at midnight, we decided to decrease at 10.30 p.m.”, reports Olivier Liard, mayor of Catus in the Lot, at the microphone of Europe 1. “It is true that in November and December, it was not very cold”, adds he.
A slightly milder winter is precisely what the northern half of France lacked. In Pas-de-Calais (-4.4%) and Ardennes (-3.7%), electricity consumption only fell by 3 to 4%.
A disparity that can be explained
Difficult to do less for Dominique Cosenza, mayor of Deville in the Ardennes. “Everything that is insulation of the house, we were careful. We heated ourselves correctly, at 19-20 degrees. It’s normal, you have to play the game. As it was cold in December, January and in February, we couldn’t save more”, he confides to the microphone of Europe 1. Another factor which could explain this disparity between the north and the south is the use of gas heating which is more widespread in the north of France. The decline in their use is therefore not visible on this map.