In the context of French and European carbon neutrality targets for 2050, smart grids are a key lever for optimization of the electricity system and a major factor in the electrification of consumption. They enable faster connection, optimise new investments in grid infrastructure and help consumers play an active role in this transformation.

The French regulator CRE has been supporting their deployment for several years, in particular by monitoring experiments, encouraging regulation of network operators, and regulatory innovative pilot projects (sandboxes). At the beginning of 2026, the second report on the efficiency of electricity transmission and distribution network operators was published, based on a number of indicators.

Overall, CRE notes that digital technologies are widely deployed and used on an industrial scale at all levels of the electricity networks, which puts French electricity network operators in a favorable position compared to their counterparts. The proper use of these technologies leads to significant savings for consumers. However, the CRE considers that electricity network operators could make even greater progress, as the system is transforming.

The performance of electricity network operators is assessed on the basis of three main priorities:

• optimising connection processes in order to accelerate the integration of renewable energy sources and alternative forms of network capacity utilisation
• mobilising new instruments and flexibility to improve grid management;
• providing new services to consumers through the data use.

Optimization of connections for accelerated integration of renewable energy sources and alternative forms of network capacity utilization

With the number of connection requests growing fast and the time it takes to get them done still being pretty long, smart grids can really help make things better. The CRE notes that the first applications of optimized solutions for integrating renewable energy sources and storage systems bring significant benefits in terms of reducing terms and controlling costs, and calls for their continued and expanded widespread implementation.

In this way, flexible connections are gradually developing: in 2023, five renewable energy parks are connected through alternative connection offers with power modulation, and in 2024, 15 are connected, leading to savings of €600,000/MW in 2024. This trend should be further strengthened in France, in particular by easing the regulatory framework.

The French regulator also notes the provision of additional storage capacity, with a quarter of storage projects (or 2.8 GW) benefiting from an optimized connection offer.

While noting real progress in connecting generation and storage, the CRE regrets the insufficient number of innovative offers for connecting consumers, in particular for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, as well as for industrial customers. These offers are essential to accelerate electrification.

Mobilizing new instruments and flexibility to improve grids

CRE considers that network operators should continue their work on mobilising the flexibility offered by different consumers by integrating it into their network design and developing contract award through auctions.

There has been real progress in developing new sources of flexibility, which should be expanded in line with the guidelines set out in the TURPE 7 tariff. The capacity of primary reserve batteries has doubled between 2022 and 2024, now representing 8% of the activated secondary reserve volume. At the same time, the total capacity of disconnections for participation in NEBCO (notification of block consumption regulation) has doubled from 5.7 GW in 2022 to 10.9 GW in 2024, with a disconnected volume of 56 GWh in 2024. These developments show significant progress in mobilizing new sources of flexibility and their widespread implementation in the electricity system.

Providing new services to consumers through the data use

CRE requires electricity transmission system operators to continue monitoring the reliability of the data they provide to participants, given its key role in the development of new offers and smart services for the benefit of the electricity system and consumers.

CRE highlights in particular the essential role of the smart meter, which is widespread in France and enables:

• significant savings (€1.7 billion between 2017 and 2024);
• the provision of new services, such as access to load curves (activated for 11 million delivery points);
• suppliers to offer innovative deals with differentiated tariffs.

The data collected and shared is becoming increasingly numerous and diverse (network mapping, capacity, production, consumption, storage). It is being used more and more by open data users, with visits almost tripling since 2021 – from 10,000 to 38,500 visitors in 2024.
The French Energy Regulatory Commission issues a series of recommendations in response to the obstacles and weaknesses identified in the report.