The connection request is where most of the grid risk on a French data center is decided. What you ask RTE for, the power, the phases, the timeline, the connection point you have in mind, largely sets what you will get back in the technical and financial proposal (PTF). A poorly sized request is hard to fix: a significant change to the project means a new PTF and a new place in the queue.
DOES YOUR SITUATION LOOK LIKE ONE OF THESE?
THE PROBLEM
Developers and investors often arrive with an old exploratory study, a need expressed in MW of IT load and a target date. What is missing is the translation into a request RTE can process:
- the total power to request, including cooling and losses, not just the IT load;
- phasing: request everything upfront or ramp up in stages;
- consistency with the permits to come: if the permitted capacity is lower than the capacity requested, RTE can reduce it;
- the conditions to enter the queue, and then to keep the place every year;
- in congested areas, such as the north of the Paris region, which substations are realistic and how much grid work to expect.
WHAT WE DO
IT and total power, ramp-up, phases, fallback scenarios. We check that the request stays consistent with the project as it will be permitted.
Technical data, site plan, timeline, land control needed at acceptance, the company that will hold the PTF. The application is reviewed before it is filed.
Preparing and following the exchanges with RTE's connection teams: technical questions, alternatives, phasing options. For very large loads, assessing RTE's fast-track procedure on identified sites.
Technical solution, works, cost, schedule, acceptance conditions and deadlines. We tell you what the announced date is worth and what could make it slip, before you commit.
YOUR EXPERT
Xavier Watrelos
HV grid connection & industrial projects
Engineer with 20+ years of industrial projects, including HV and MV grid connections, commissioning and operating permits. Read his profile →
WHO IT IS FOR
Data center developers and operators, investors and funds backing a project in France, advisers working for a foreign client. For projects from a few tens to several hundred MW. Below 40 MW, the request often goes to Enedis instead: we handle that case too.
WHAT YOU GET
A complete application, reviewed before filing
Follow-up of the exchanges with RTE, with a written summary at each step
An analysis of the PTF received, with a clear recommendation before acceptance
WHAT TO HAVE READY
The target power and date, the site address or plots, the status of land control, any studies already done (exploratory study, internal studies) and the permit timeline. An exploratory study more than two years old is still a useful starting point, but says nothing about today's queue.
To understand the difference between an exploratory study, a PTF and a connection agreement, read which document actually secures a French site. For how an engagement runs (framing call, confidentiality, fixed-fee proposal), see how we work.
Sources: RTE procedures for connection requests from consumption installations on the transmission grid (Documentation Technique de Référence); CRE deliberations 2024-96, 2024-229 and 2026-32. The procedure changes regularly; the version that applies is the one in force when the request is filed. This page is general information, not legal advice.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who files the connection request with RTE?
The request is made in the name of the project company, which will sign and pay. We prepare the application with it and follow the exchanges with RTE at its side.
When does a project enter RTE's queue?
When the PTF is accepted, with the specific conditions signed without reservation, proof of land control, the first instalment and evidence of project progress, or instead a flat fee of €1,000 per MW.
Should we request the full power from the start?
Not necessarily. Phasing can be more realistic, but a significant power increase later may require a new PTF. It is a trade-off to settle before filing.
Is an old exploratory study enough?
No. It never reserved capacity and does not reflect today's queue. It is a starting point for preparing the request.