Consulting · France · Europe · Structured Mandates GridReadiness · Est. 2026

Grid Data Center Consulting — France & Europe

GridReadiness provides AI data center grid consulting in France — transformer procurement intelligence, RTE connection feasibility, and brownfield site identification. Structured mandates, written deliverables, clear fees. Trusted by developers and infrastructure funds evaluating France in 2026–2028.

Structured mandates. Written deliverables. Clear fees. Every engagement begins with a 30-minute framing call — no preparation required, no commitment.

THREE MANDATES. ONE DISCIPLINE.

Step 01

Market Entry
Intelligence

Written report on the French AI data center grid market: RTE connection timelines by site type, EU transformer availability by manufacturer, 3–5 candidate sites with preliminary GridScore™ assessment. For funds and developers evaluating France before committing capital.

Fixed fee · 15-day delivery · Written engagement letter

Step 02

Site
Qualification

Full GridScore™ dossier on 2–3 shortlisted sites. On-site HV technical validation on the strongest candidate by Xavier W. (30+ years RTE/Enedis). Investment-committee grade output. Mutual NDA. Defined deliverables.

Fixed fee · 4–6 weeks · IC-grade dossier

Step 03

Introduction &
Transaction Support

We introduce qualified clients to site owners and operators. Introduction Registry with 36-month tail. Fee protection documented from framing call. Success fee on closing.

Success fee 1–3% · 36-month Introduction Registry

BOOK A 30-MINUTE FRAMING CALL

No preparation required. No exchange of confidential information. The purpose is to confirm fit: is your question one GridReadiness is well-placed to answer? Most framing calls end with a clear yes or a clear no within the first conversation.

Response within 24 hours · All enquiries treated confidentially · We reply personally within 24 hours

HOW AN ENGAGEMENT UNFOLDS

Framing Call

30 minutes. No preparation required. We confirm fit: is the question one GridReadiness can answer, and what practice areas apply? Most framing calls end with a clear yes or clear no in the first conversation.

Engagement Letter

If the framing call lands well, we prepare a written engagement letter within 5 working days. It defines the practice areas in scope, the deliverables, the fees, and the timeline. Work begins on countersignature.

Mutual NDA

Before any site-specific or project-specific information is exchanged, we execute a mutual NDA. Standard execution within 2–3 working days. Both parties protected from the first substantive exchange.

Delivery

Written deliverable — PDF report, site dossier, or supplier shortlist — according to the engagement letter. Senior involvement throughout: Senior involvement throughout — Fred Arnaud and Xavier W. No junior staffing. 72-hour to 15-day delivery depending on scope.

Debrief Call

30–60 minute call to walk through findings, answer questions, and confirm next steps. Included in all mandate formats. Xavier W. (HV specialist) joins for site-specific technical debrief when relevant.

Documented Conclusion

Every mandate concludes with a written outcome: a Go/Proceed/Reassess verdict, a site shortlist, or a documented decision not to proceed. The engagement letter terms govern fee settlement.

PRACTICE AREAS

Practice Area 01

Grid Deployment Risk Audit

72-hour delivery

The critical path validation for your AI data center project. You provide 5 data points about your site. GridReadiness delivers a written Go / Proceed with conditions / Reassess verdict — with the reasoning, the data, and the transformer supplier shortlist behind it.

Delivery

72 hours from engagement letter signature

Format

PDF report + 30-minute debrief call

Fee structure

Fixed fee · disclosed at framing call

On-site option

Xavier W. (HV specialist) · additional fee

Written deliverables include

GridScore™ assessment across 5 dimensions with per-dimension scoring
Transformer availability: EU manufacturers with confirmed 2027–2028 allocation slots
Grid connection feasibility: RTE study requirements, timeline estimate, cost range
Site risk profile: brownfield vs greenfield, existing HV infrastructure status
Equipment lead times: ANSI/IEEE 60Hz compliance for US specifications confirmed
Go / Proceed with conditions / Reassess verdict with written rationale

Practice Area 02

France Site Intelligence + Equipment Sourcing

10–15 business days

Site identification combined with transformer sourcing. We surface candidate brownfield sites in France matching your power requirements — from the government's 63 pre-qualified locations, our proprietary 40+ off-market HTB sites, and our RTE network intelligence — and pair each site with a confirmed transformer supplier shortlist.

Delivery

10–15 business days

Format

Written site dossier (2–4 sites) + supplier shortlist + 1h debrief

Fee structure

Fixed retainer + success fee on transaction (2–5%) · structured in engagement letter

Introduction registry

36-month tail · fee protection documented from framing call

Written deliverables include

Written shortlist of 2–4 candidate sites with per-site GridScore™ dossier
Grid asset status per site: active HTB / dormant recoverable / greenfield RTE connection required
Transformer supplier shortlist with current lead times, slot availability, and specification match
RTE fast-track site availability assessment against your load and timeline
Water stress index per site with WUE modelling for your cooling configuration
Recommended procurement sequence with month-by-month critical path

Practice Area 03

Full Grid Risk Audit — Multi-Site

15 business days

Deep grid analysis for developers comparing multiple European sites or managing complex transformer procurement across a development portfolio. Includes three-site GridScore™ comparison, RTE connection study analysis, full equipment supplier shortlist with direct manufacturer contacts, and a realistic deployment timeline per site.

Delivery

15 business days

Format

Full PDF report + 3-site comparison matrix + 1h debrief call

Fee structure

Fixed fee · disclosed at framing call · custom for portfolio screening

Technical depth

Xavier W. (HV specialist) on technical validation

Written deliverables include

Three-site GridScore™ comparison with per-dimension scoring across all 5 criteria
RTE connection study analysis: study type required, timeline, cost estimate per site
Equipment supplier shortlist: 3–5 EU manufacturers with lead times, specification fit, contact details
Deployment timeline modelling: realistic month-by-month critical path per site
Go/Proceed/Reassess verdict per site with written rationale
Procurement risk matrix: what needs to happen in what sequence to hit your target date

Practice Area 04

Water Stress Assessment

48-hour add-on

WUE compliance assessment for sites in France. Mandatory add-on for Google, Microsoft, and Meta water-commitment operators. Available as a standalone mandate or add-on to any grid audit.

Delivery

48 hours from site coordinates + load specification

Format

Written report with Go/Conditional/Avoid verdict

Site water stress classification (WRI Aqueduct index)
River corridor access assessment (flow rates, seasonal minima)
WUE modelling vs Google 5-commitment, Microsoft water-positive, Meta targets
Permitting risk assessment (DREAL, Bassin Agency)

WHY GRIDREADINESS — NOT GENERAL DC CONSULTING

Capability	General DC Consulting	GridReadiness
Scope	All aspects of DC development	Exclusive focus: grid, transformers, brownfield sites
Transformer lead times	Not tracked	14 EU manufacturers tracked monthly
RTE process	One chapter in a broad report	Core expertise · field-tested intelligence
Brownfield HTB sites	Public lists only	40+ proprietary off-market sites beyond government lists
Technical HV validation	Desktop analysis	Xavier W. · 30+ years RTE/Enedis · on-site audits
Delivery	Weeks to months	72 hours to 15 business days
Mandate structure	Open-ended retainers	Written engagement letter · defined deliverables · clear fees

Every mandate begins here. Thirty minutes. No preparation. No commitment.

Frédéric Arnaud · frederic@gridreadiness.com · gridreadiness.com

Also covers

Data center site selection France · France grid connection advisory · AI data center consulting Europe · HV transformer procurement France · RTE connection process advisory · Brownfield HTB site identification · Data center power infrastructure France · France data center investment advisory · Grid bottleneck consulting · AI infrastructure France · Data center due diligence France