Electricity: “Blue Tariff”, “Contractual Security” guarantee of active suppliers.

Despite the opening of the market, at least one color dominates the picture. Since 2007, the majority of French people have been loyal to the official version of the “blue tariff” of the historical suppliers (the electricity company EDF and small local distribution companies) – the regulated tariff for the sale of electricity (TRVE). Typically, state authorities set and revise this scale twice a year, based on proposals from the Commission on Energy Regulatory Affairs (CRE).

During an energy crisis, it is somewhat different. From Wednesday 1^Eh After a +4% cap in February 2022, TRVE growth will be held to an average of +15% in 2023, including all taxes – as well as the regulated gas tariff at Engie (ex-GDF Suez) from January. One way to protect customers from severe turbulence is in the wholesale market, where suppliers are partially stocked.

Indeed, without a government-imposed “tariff shield”, TRVE is better off jumping…99%. That’s nearly doubled, year-over-year, for residential neighborhoods, according to a CRE review released Thursday, Jan. 19. In its calculations, the independent administrative body continues to stack costs, in particular, on wholesale markets.

Income is falling

By 2023, a new scale freeze would be equivalent “On average, an increase of about 20 euros per month in electricity heating for households, instead of 180 euros without the tariff shield”, confirmed by Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne in September 2022. The state undertakes to compensate EDF for losses related to the TRVE limit for households or small businesses that benefit from it. Its shield will also extend to certain market offers offered by the competition, indexed to the ‘blue tariff’.

According to the entourage of the Minister of Economy, Bruno Le Maire, the total amount of compensation due to this measure corresponds to “estimated value” From 25 billion euros. Not to mention the reduction in revenues, estimated at around 9 billion euros, which also allows for this restriction, especially the restrictions related to the internal tax on the final consumption of electricity.

As of June 30, 2022, regulated electricity tariffs covered almost two-thirds of households.

A phenomenon is observed on the EDF side. The group saw the return or arrival of almost 100,000 residential customers per month from August to December 2022, particularly from September to November. Some returned to the regulated tariff, others chose one of its market offers. The company is refraining from detailing the distribution until the announcement of last year’s results on Friday, February 17.