Last November, Storm Ciaran hit Brittany violently, causing power cuts to many homes. Enedis, the electricity distribution network manager, has started compensating affected customers.
In total, Enedis announced that it will pay 130 million in compensation to customers most affected by power cuts caused by storm Ciaran. This is a record amount for the electricity network manager, who, as reported by Les Echos, has begun the process of compensating customers who suffered power cuts for more than five consecutive hours. This process will last for several months. ” This is the first time that compensation of this magnitude will be paid. », underlined Hervé Champenois, technical director of Enedis.
Do victims need to take action to seek compensation?
According to the current rules, customers “ remain without electricity for more than 5 hours, they systematically benefit from a lump sum payment of 2 euros less tax per kVA of power subscribed for each consecutive 5 hours of power cut, up to a maximum of 8 days and 8 hours. », mentioned the manager. Eniddes then explained that “ As this process is automatic, the customer does not need to take any action. Enedis pays the amount in question to the electricity supplier who transfers it to the customer’s energy bill ” In addition, the manager claimed to have collected 70 million euros to restore power to affected homes in Breton, repair power lines and send equipment and agents to the most affected areas.
1.2 million households were affected, including 780,000 in Brittany
On November 1 and 2, 2023, Cyclone Ciaran swept northwest of France, with sustained winds of 170 km/h. A total of 1.2 million homes were in the dark, including 780,000 in Brittany. Finistère was the hardest hit, with 286,000 homes without electricity, followed by Côtes-d’Armor with 220,000, Morbihan with 195,000 and Ileville with 78,000, as explained in a press release from the manager of the electricity network. Despite the reported human toll, the Home Minister, Gerald Darman, said, ” State agents, especially firefighters who intervened nearly 1,900 times last night and continue to do so ” The minister also reported that ” 1,315 people were displaced, mainly in campsites and reception areas », added that many houses in Brest were evacuated following the crane collapse.
