GLOSSARY•Adjustment mechanismCreated by <strong>RTE</strong> on 1 April 2003,the adjustment mechanism gives itaccess to reserves of power that becomeavailable as soon as an imbalance occursbetween supply <strong>and</strong> dem<strong>and</strong>. Involvedin the mechanism are producers whohave the capacity to modulate theirproduction <strong>and</strong> consumers able toforgo a portion of their consumption,as well as traders who import orexport electricity.• Balance responsible entityA company with which <strong>RTE</strong> concludesa contract to fi nance imbalances betweenforecast <strong>and</strong> actual consumption <strong>and</strong>production of a given portfolio of users.The balance responsible entity acts asan underwriter, benefi ting from the effectof upward <strong>and</strong> downward imbalances.• CRECommission de Régulation de l’Énergie(Energy Regulatory Commission), theFrench energy regulator. An independentadministrative authority instituted byLaw 2000-108 of 10 February 2000,the Commission is primarily responsiblefor ensuring the correct functioningof the electricity <strong>and</strong> gas market <strong>and</strong> theabsence of any form of discrimination,cross subsidy or restriction of freecompetition.• CU<strong>RTE</strong>Comité des Utilisateurs du Réseaude Transport d’Électricité (electricitytransmission network users committee).This body is the interface for dialoguebetween <strong>RTE</strong> <strong>and</strong> its customers.• Distribution networksDownstream from the transmission network,distribution networks supply the fi nalcustomer, with voltage less than or equalto 50,000 volts (households, local authorities,small <strong>and</strong> medium-size industries).• Distributors26 local distribution companies <strong>and</strong> ERDFare in charge of distribution networks.• Electricity supplierA player on the electricity market whosupplies at least one end user with energythat is either self-produced or purchasedon the market.• Electricity transmission networkThe network ensuring the transmissionof high voltage <strong>and</strong> very high-voltageelectrical energy from generation sitesto distribution networks <strong>and</strong> industrialsites that have direct access. It includesthe national network <strong>and</strong> interconnection(400,000volts <strong>and</strong> 225,000volts)<strong>and</strong> regional dispatch networks(225,000 volts, 150,000 volts,90,000 volts <strong>and</strong> 63,000 volts).• ERDFÉlectricité Réseau Distribution France,the distribution subsidiary of EDF createdon 1 January 2008 in order to dissociatedistribution activities (public servicemonopoly) from those of production<strong>and</strong> sales in the EDF Group.• ExtractionAction of removing electricity fromthe network at a connection point.• Forward EstimateMedium- <strong>and</strong> long-term forecast of thebalance between electricity supply <strong>and</strong>dem<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> evaluation of needs for newproduction capacities to ensure long-termsecurity of supply.Article 6 of Law 2000-108 of 10 February2000 requires <strong>RTE</strong> to carry out this forecastevery other year.• Gigawatt-hour (GWh)Million kWh.• HV (high-voltage) linePower line with voltage of 63,000, 90,000or 150,000 volts.• InjectionAction of feeding electricity intothe transmission network.• InterconnectionTransmission infrastructure connectingtogether the transmission networksof different countries or regions.• ISO 14001The ISO 14001 st<strong>and</strong>ard lays down therequirements that an organisation mustabide by in order to develop <strong>and</strong> implementa policy <strong>and</strong> targets that take account oflegal conditions <strong>and</strong> information relatingto signifi cant environmental aspects.• Kilowatt hour (kWh)The amount of electrical energy consumedin one hour by an appliance with powerof 1,000 watts (1 kWh equals 3,600 joules).• Megavolt ampere (MVA)A unit of apparent power. For a transformer,this fi gure specifi es the maximum loadintended to serve as the basis for theconstruction of the transformer, theconstructor’s guarantees <strong>and</strong> testing.• Megawatt (MW)Thous<strong>and</strong> kW. A unit of power.• Megawatt hour (MWh)Thous<strong>and</strong> kWh. A unit of energy.• Quality of electricityLevel of quality of the electricity deliveredto the network, evaluated in terms ofthe frequency <strong>and</strong> duration of long <strong>and</strong>short outages as well as the quality ofthe voltage wave.• Terawatt hour (TWh)Billion kWh.• TraderDealer who buys <strong>and</strong> sells electricity.• TSOTransmission System Operator(<strong>RTE</strong> in France).• VHV (very high voltage) linePower line with voltage of 225,000or 400,000 volts.90
<strong>2012</strong> IN FIGURESCONSULTTHE WEB VERSION!THE COMPLETE ANNUAL REPORT <strong>2012</strong>The complete Annual Report is available in PDF(<strong>Activity</strong> <strong>and</strong> Sustainable Development Report,Management Report <strong>and</strong> Consolidated Accounts,Report of the Chairman of the Supervisory Board)www.rte-france.com/lienrapide/RA<strong>2012</strong>JOIN THE NETWORK ON@rte_francewww.facebook.com/rte.france<strong>RTE</strong> | IN LINE WITH THE FUTURE91
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