Crestchic’s load bank solutions are used to test backup power systems, ensuring that they will work effectively when needed. With businesses increasingly choosing to invest in back-up power systems to reduce the likelihood of costly downtime in the event of a power outage, Crestchic’s rental division is able to supply load banks of various sizes and capacities on both short and long term hire agreements, with offices throughout Europe, the Middle East and across the Asia Pacific.

In his new role, Victor will play a pivotal role in collaborating with customers across the region to understand their power testing requirements. Providing Crestchic’s extensive range of load banks, transformers, and peripherals, Victor will cater to the needs of mission-critical applications in sectors such as oil and gas, utilities, data centres, and defence.

Paul Cotton, European Rental Sales Director at Crestchic, commented, “We are seeing increased demand for power testing systems all over the world, and the market looks set to grow further. We’re delighted to welcome Victor on board. His experience in business development and key account management positions him as a valuable asset to our French team. With a dedication to customer excellence and a growing technical proficiency, Victor is well-equipped to provide comprehensive guidance to customers and support growing demand for Crestchic’s products in the French market.”

Crestchic is no stranger to continuous investment. As well as growing its team significantly over recent months, the company has invested in manufacturing facilities, more than doubling its manufacturing output over the past two years. This ongoing investment in people and infrastructure demonstrates the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality power testing solutions and strengthening its foothold in the global marketplace.

Victor added, “I’m eager to engage with industry professionals throughout France and showcase how Crestchic’s cutting-edge power solutions can bring tangible benefits to organisations.“

To find out more about Crestchic’s range of load banks and power testing solutions in France, visit https://crestchic.fr/ 

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Head of French energy regulator RTE, Xavier Piechaczyk, stressed in a recent government briefing to local authorities that power cuts are not inevitable, but explained that the aim was to reach between 40 and 41 gigawatt of available nuclear power by the beginning of January 2023 and end the month with around 43 – significantly less than the nation’s 61 gigawatts of total capacity.

Why doesn’t France have enough power?

In recent months, European nuclear power providers have been scrambling to bridge the deficit created when Moscow cut off gas supplies in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the European Union over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During this same period, French power supplier EDF experienced an unprecedented number of reactor outages that reduced nuclear output to a 30-year low.

What will happen if electricity supply becomes too low?

Piechaczyk explained that if the country’s electricity monitoring application, Ecowatt, displays a red light in response to dwindling electricity reserves, there would be a need to load users partially off the power grid.

Partial load shedding is a term used to describe the prioritisation of power allocation. The government has issued binding instructions to regional government officials on how to prioritise power if the app displays a red right. In addition, these instructions urge local officials to meet with local authorities and businesses to make sure all emergency power generators are working.

This is an important message for all businesses that want to remain operational during planned power cuts – make sure you have access to a generator, and more importantly, make sure that generator is in full working order. Generators are an emergency energy source, so by their nature, they spend large amounts of time unused, increasing the risk of failure when you need that emergency power most. Testing generators now, before any planned power cuts will ensure that should your business be partially offloaded from the grid, your business will remain operational.

How should French local authorities and businesses check the performance of their generators?

Having a generator in place is the right first step to ensuring your business can remain fully operational during a planned power cut, but this does not guarantee power resilience.

Before the planned power cuts, businesses should conduct thorough testing to validate the reliability and performance of backup power under the types of loads found in real operational conditions. The only way to do this is to use a load bank to simulate the operational load that a generator would encounter. This process “tests” the generator – including fuel, exhaust and cooling systems, and alternator insulation resistance – to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the event that it is called upon.

Ideally, generators should in fact be tested at least annually using a resistive-reactive 0.8pf load bank, to ensure they can perform in real-world emergency conditions. If multiple gensets are run in parallel, they should be run in a synchronised state, ideally for 8 hours but for a minimum of 3. Where a resistive-only load bank is used (1.0pf), testing should be increased to 2-4 times per year at 3 hours per test minimum.

A robust testing regime ensures that generators are effectively tested and system issues can be uncovered in a safe, controlled manner without the cost of major failure or unplanned downtime.

Test now before planned power cuts commence

In reality, not many maintenance engineers uphold a regular testing schedule to ensure the performance of their generators. This puts the generator at risk of failure – with the fuel, exhaust and cooling system untested, along with the potential for embedded moisture, putting the system in the very high-risk category.

For businesses in France, now is the time to rectify this. By using a load bank now to test back up power systems, there is still time to make many essential repairs before the anticipated planned outages. Power resilience is an increasing concern, and the difficulties faced this winter are unlikely to be a one-off. Using a load bank to prepare for the planned outages this year will provide a sound foundation for the development of an ongoing maintenance regime into 2023 and beyond.

To find out more about how to incorporate backup power testing into your business continuity plan, speak to our team here: sales.uk@crestchic.com or use our contact form here: Contact Form

The post FRENCH POWER: How should French businesses prepare for possible power shortages? appeared first on Crestchic leading manufacturer of load banks.

Jean-Philippe’s remit is to grow the Crestchic rental business in France. The move will expand the current team in the region and forms a key part of the company’s current and ongoing growth strategy. The expansion of the team in Europe coincides with the opening of new premises in the UK, Antwerp and the US, as well as continued people and fleet investment worldwide.

Jean-Philippe joins the business from United Rentals/BakerCorp. A qualified engineer, he has a Master’s degree in Sales engineering from Paris Chamber of Trade and Industry, along with extensive experience working in the energy sector.

Jean-Philippe commented: “I’m very excited about joining the Crestchic business. We have the opportunity to discover new markets, help contacts to find solutions, move forward opportunities, and get customer satisfaction. I like working in a team, developing team spirit, and creating opportunities for people to do their best. My goal is to build a strong business and reputation for Crestchic in France and to develop a great workplace where people can develop their skills through continuous learning.”

Crestchic is a world leader in load bank design and supply. For more specific support on choosing which load bank is right for your application, speak to our specialist team today on 01283 531 645 or email sales@crestchic.com. Alternatively, use our contact form here: Contact Us.

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