During its 2025 greetings ceremony, Siceco, Côte-d’Or energy territory, alerted its partners and local elected officials. The mixed union brings together 675 municipalities and 18 EPCIs in Côte-d’Or. Manager of electricity distribution and supply, he fears that the changes planned by the State will interfere with the balance between rural and urban areas.
675 municipalities, with the exception of Dijon Métropole, and 18 EPCI have entrusted Siceco with the management of medium and low voltage electrical networks and have delegated to it the organization of the public service of distribution and supply of electricity. In this regard, Jacques Jacquenet, president of Siceco, insisted on his concern both about the delay of the 2025 finance law which places communities in uncertainty, and about possible reductions in revenue. “ I want to talk about the risks of levy by the State on the electricity tax and even more serious, the elimination of the FACé Fund in its principle of financing by the Tariff for the Use of Public Electricity Networks, included in the bill of finances 2025. » This fund for amortizing electrification costs is based on electricity distributors in France, which thus financially helps rural communities in charge of electricity distribution networks to carry out their improvement work. Beyond the projects that it allows to carry out, Jacques Jacquenet sees another risk in the elimination of this fund: “ It also allows rural areas to benefit from a supply of electricity of quality equal to that of urban areas. » summarized Jacques Jacquenet.
The changes to which Siceco alluded would now result in funding from the domestic tax on final electricity consumption. Concretely, the taxpayer would no longer be at the origin of the financing, replaced by the user, leading to “ a risk of electrical fracture “. Jacques Jacquenet is finally worried about the possible economic impact for the territories. “ Beyond the quality of electricity supply and land use planning, our investments in rural areas make a significant contribution to maintaining local jobs. Our network companies in fact represent a lot of jobs in the region and this reform seriously threatens the sector of activity. »
Accelerate the transition
In addition to electrical networks, Siceco multiplies activities with, among other things, the public distribution of natural gas, public lighting, public distribution of heat and cold but also energy savings and renewable energies or even terminals charging for electric vehicles. These many facets allow the organization to act alongside communities on the energy transition. “ In 2024, we continued our efforts to support our members in the energy transition. We have implemented work, programs and financing adapted to the reality on the ground. We can and must intensify the production of electricity and heat from renewable resources. We must support our communities to question needs and uses, then to save energy by renovating the technical equipment of the built heritage and lighting. »
Concretely, in terms of sustainable development, the president of Siceco placed emphasis on NGV mobility but also on the purchases of equipment for its construction sites in order to reduce its carbon footprint, and the evolution of its purchasing methods. “ We are also starting to work with the FRTP and the ECORCE TP association on this subject and on the decarbonization of construction sites. »
Siceco plans an envelope of 14 million euros for 2025, “ an ambitious and daring budget, maintained “, which will be used in particular to improve electrical networks, renovate public lighting, renovate built heritage, build the mobility of tomorrow, support members in photovoltaics or even develop wood energy and heating networks with the Côte d’Or Chaleur management.
Nadège Hubert
Belgium
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