Electricity distribution network operator Enedis has announced a €250mn ($264mn) investment programme named “Réseau Marseille” to upgrade the electricity grid in France’s second-largest city between 2025 and 2030. The initiative focuses on three main goals: improving climate resilience, supporting the region’s economic growth, and advancing the electrification of maritime transport.
Target to reduce power outages
Enedis aims to reduce the average annual power outage time in Marseille from the current 75 minutes to 40 minutes by 2030, in line with national standards. One of the key measures is the gradual removal of paper-insulated cables (PIC), which still make up 160 kilometres of the city’s medium-voltage (20,000 volts) underground network. The company plans to replace over 40 kilometres of these cables each year with synthetic insulation cables, which are more resistant to high temperatures.
Data from heatwaves between 2015 and 2023, particularly in 2022, show that replacing PIC can cut incident rates by a factor of 33. Enedis targets the complete removal of PIC in Marseille by 2030. Nationwide, the company plans to eliminate 85% of these cables by 2040, aiming for near-total removal by 2050.
Backing the electrification of Marseille’s port
The project also includes large-scale operations with the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille under the “Escales Zéro Fumée” initiative. In May 2025, Enedis commissioned a 20-megawatt delivery point for ferries, with full connection expected by the end of 2025. Five additional charging points are planned, bringing total capacity to 160 megawatts.
By using an existing underground technical gallery, Enedis avoided 1.5 kilometres of surface excavation. Each connected vessel could reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by up to 300 tonnes, based on estimates provided by the operator.
Responding to growing urban and industrial needs
Marseille is experiencing growing electricity demand driven by urban projects, expansion of its transport network, the transformation of the Fos-sur-Mer industrial zone, and the rise of datacentres. Enedis is adapting its infrastructure to meet this increase, notably through reinforced distribution capacities.
The programme involves around 200 Enedis employees and ten partner companies. The works are carried out in coordination with local institutions, including the City, the Metropolis, the Region, the Port and the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), to ensure integration into the urban fabric.
