Why your latest electricity bill in France could be eye-wateringly high
Huge electricity bills are dropping into post boxes across France causing no little concern for residents but what's to blame for the sudden jump in fees?
Some have received bills of several hundred euros after their annual reading - many of which are now done remotely, with some 32million households now having a smart Linky meter.
Last winter was tough for those who heat their home using electric radiators.
"Consumption by our customers actually increased by about 5 percent this winter, from November to March, compared to the previous year," a spokesperson for EDF told Le Parisien.
That coincided with the second period of confinement, with home owners inevitably turning up their heating while working from home. Then, in February 2021, France experienced a sharp cold snap, prompting households again to turn up the thermostat, while March and April were cooler than normal, with frosts damaging crops.
"The difference between the observed consumption and the modeled consumption is about +3% for residential customers," according to Enerdis, which manages the Linky meters.
Sadly for consumers still recovering after opening this year’s bill, prices look set to rise. The Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie (CRE) proposed a 0.48 percent increase in the regulated bleu tariff in August, having already asked for a 1.6 percent increase in February.
Next year, the CRE could propose an increase of six percent, compared to February 1st, 2020, in order to cover rising prices on the wholesale electricity market, according to BFM Business. But, it said, the government would be working to mitigate any rises early next year, before the Presidential election - including a reduction in taxes to mitigate any increase in bills.
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Some have received bills of several hundred euros after their annual reading - many of which are now done remotely, with some 32million households now having a smart Linky meter.
Last winter was tough for those who heat their home using electric radiators.
"Consumption by our customers actually increased by about 5 percent this winter, from November to March, compared to the previous year," a spokesperson for EDF told Le Parisien.
That coincided with the second period of confinement, with home owners inevitably turning up their heating while working from home. Then, in February 2021, France experienced a sharp cold snap, prompting households again to turn up the thermostat, while March and April were cooler than normal, with frosts damaging crops.
"The difference between the observed consumption and the modeled consumption is about +3% for residential customers," according to Enerdis, which manages the Linky meters.
Sadly for consumers still recovering after opening this year’s bill, prices look set to rise. The Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie (CRE) proposed a 0.48 percent increase in the regulated bleu tariff in August, having already asked for a 1.6 percent increase in February.
Next year, the CRE could propose an increase of six percent, compared to February 1st, 2020, in order to cover rising prices on the wholesale electricity market, according to BFM Business. But, it said, the government would be working to mitigate any rises early next year, before the Presidential election - including a reduction in taxes to mitigate any increase in bills.
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