Load shedding is an organised approach to significantly reduce energy consumption that may be taken by the transmission or distribution system operator to deal with an exceptional situation, whether actual, announced or foreseeable, that threatens the security of supply, the integrity of the networks or the physical safety or security of individuals.

It involves the temporary reduction or suspension of the supply of energy to all or some network users, while ensuring the safety of consumers. The load shedding plan is an operational document drawn up jointly by the various transmission and distribution system operators in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in accordance with the law of 7 August 2012 amending the law of 1 August 2007 on the organisation of the natural gas market (A-°179 of 22.08.2012).

Load shedding is a tool that energy network operators in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg can use as a last resort to prevent major incidents from occurring and to limit their consequences if they do occur. It thus completes the range of tools available to network operators to protect their networks.

The purpose of the load shedding plan is to define the circumstances and conditions under which this tool can be used by energy network operators, the responsibilities and decision-making procedures associated with the practice of load shedding, its operational procedures, as well as the priority rules enabling load shedding to be targeted at customers for whom the damage caused is least significant. Creos publishes the classification of its customers in a strictly anonymous and confidential manner. Each customer can obtain information from Creos on its own "matchcode".