An unfortunate coincidence of the calendar for the presidential majority. After a respite of several months, the average annual gas bill climbs by 124 euros, going from 1,060 euros in June to 1,184 euros on July 1. This increase has been announced for months but its implementation has impacted the legislative elections, largely marked by the question of purchasing power.
According to the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), watchdog of the sector, the “ average benchmark price » per kWh, which had been tending to fall in recent months, will be around 13 cents for July, an increase of 11.7% compared to the June index (around 11 cents/kWh). An increase to be put into perspective according to the CRE: this July price remains lower (-3.5%) than that of January, which had confirmed the end of the tariff shield, this subsidy mechanism launched at the end of 2021 to protect households from excessive increases during the energy crisis, fueled by the post-Covid recovery and the war in Ukraine.
And ” benchmark price ” who is ” indicative »
Furthermore, this “ reference price ” East ” indicative » and the suppliers remain “ free ” to pass it on or not, underlines the CRE. It is possible to play the competition by referring for example to the online comparator of the Energy Mediator. According to the latter however, ” the vast majority of consumers will see this increase reflected in their bills », i.e. most of the 10 million residential customers connected to GRDF.
Gas price increase, shrinkflation, unemployment insurance revaluation: what’s changing in July
This increase is linked to a double phenomenon: the rebound effect of prices on the gas markets where operators obtain their supplies and, above all, due to the significant revaluation for 4 years of the gas transport costs borne by the distribution network manager GRDF. This ” TOLL “, billed to suppliers and accounting for a third of the bill, must be increased in the face of increasing costs for the maintenance and modernization of gas infrastructure, while allowing the integration of green gas into the pipes. This is especially true since it is becoming more difficult to distribute these costs as the number of gas subscribers declines: -197,000 between the end of 2022 and the end of 2023, according to the CRE.
RN and New Popular Front have promised to cancel this increase
The CRE announced the increase in the gas bill in February, before specifying the terms on June 10, the day after the European elections and the dissolution of the National Assembly. Enough to stir up debates… The RN has warned that its first reform if it reaches Matignon would be to cancel this increase, a measure also advocated by the New Popular Front.
But if the Commercial Code (article L410-2) allows prices to be frozen for six months, it is necessary to justify “ exceptional circumstances “. Consumers therefore undoubtedly have every interest in competing with the Energy Mediator’s online comparator, without waiting for promises to be fulfilled. With the increase in July, “ the advice is: look carefully at the offers and take advantage of the competition “, indicated Emmanuelle Wargon in mid-June. In the event of offers that are inconsistent with the economic conditions, the CRE will initiate corrective actions which may, depending on the situations encountered, be of several types: request for correction, information for consumers or referral to the Competition Authority or the DGCCRF.
The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire pledged in mid-June that the French’s electricity bill would fall by 10 to 15% in February 2025 thanks in particular to nuclear production, denouncing the energy strategy of the National gathering. But this good news was expected: “ There is such a drop in wholesale prices and especially a record year 2022 which no longer fits into the calculation, that this will automatically result in a falling invoice “, Nicolas Goldberg, energy expert at Colombus Consulting, recently explained. The gain for the consumer would be ” 200 euros less », Added Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on June 20.
(With AFP)
