The 10 million French residential customers connected to GRDF will see their gas bills increase from this Monday 1is July 2024. These increase by 11.7%, mainly due to the revaluation of gas network maintenance costs. Announced for months, the implementation of this increase hits the political calendar, in the middle of a decisive electoral campaign in France.
In June, the “average benchmark price” per kWh was around 11 cents, explains the Energy Regulation Commission (CRE). On 1is July, the latter is now 13 cents, an increase of 11.7%. However, the CRE calls for putting things into perspective: this price remains 3.5% lower than that of January 2024, which had confirmed the end of the tariff shield.
A “rebound” effect in the face of the drop in the number of gas subscribers
This price is “indicative”and it is up to the suppliers to decide whether or not to pass on the increase, underlines the CRE. This does not prevent the “The vast majority of consumers will see this increase reflected in their bills”. It is the consequence of a rebound effect in prices on the gas markets where operators obtain their supplies and, above all, the sharp increase over four years in gas transport costs borne by the distribution network manager GRDF.
Ce ” TOLL “ is invoiced to suppliers and represents a third of the bill. Faced with increasing maintenance and modernization expenses for gas infrastructure, the price must be increased, while allowing the integration of green gas into the pipes. This increase is all the more necessary according to network players as it becomes more difficult to distribute these costs, while the number of gas subscribers fell by 197,000 between the end of 2022 and the end of 2023, according to the CRE.
Read also: Gas: your bill will go up in July, here’s why
A predictable increase
An independent authority, 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 New Popular Front has warned that its first reform if it gains access to Matignon would be to cancel this increase, a measure also advocated by the RN. For Bruno Le Maire, this increase is “proof by A + B that it is essential to accelerate our energy transition”The Minister of Economy and Finance added to the microphone of France Inter that it is also about “proof that the climate skepticism of the National Rally, its refusal to move towards green energy, its inability to defend the electric vehicle […] tie us hand and foot with gas and oil producing countries”.
