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Compare French energy offers

Our English-speaking advisors will help you compare, subscribe and save on your electricity and gas plans.

How to Set Up Electricity with Enedis (ERDF) in France

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If you are moving to a newly built home in France, you may need to make a service installation request (demande de raccordement) with ERDF. This guide describes in depth what you need to do to start electricity supply for a new home in France. 

If your new home already has electricity, all you have to do to start electric service is call a supplier and sign up for an electricity plan. Call Selectra at 09 87 67 37 93 or get yourself a free callback for English-speaking assistance in finding an energy supplier and plan that works for you.

Connecting your house to the electricity distribution system (Enedis)

enedis
ERDF's name changed to Enedis in May, 2016

If you are moving to a newly-built home that does not yet have electricity service, in most cases you will have to contact Enedis (formerly ERDF - Électricité Réseau Distribution France) to request meter installation and connection to the power grid. Some rural areas are serviced by local distribution utilities, called entreprises locales de distribution (ELDs), but otherwise Enedis is responsible for 95% of the electricity distribution network throughout France

If your house is already connected to the electricity distribution system but the power is cut, all you have to do is call an energy provider to sign up for an electricity contract and the provider will arrange for service reconnection (mise en service).  Call Selectra at 09 87 67 37 93 or get a free callback to learn more about energy providers and subscribe (Monday - Friday, 8:30am-8 pm; Sat 9:30 am-6 pm).

How long and how complex the service installation process will be will largely depend on geography. If your new home is close to the existing distribution system, electric service installation should be relatively straightforward: Enedis will simply install a meter (in a new home this will automatically be a Linky meter) and activate the power supply. If your new home is in a rural area, however, both costs and deadline may increase as the technicians may have to extend the distribution system to reach your home. 

How to Install New Electricity Service to Your New Home in France: Steps

 Find Out Who to Contact

As mentioned previously, the grid operator for much of France is Enedis. Check Selectra's comparison website if you're not sure whether Enedis or an ELD provides service in your area. If once you enter your postcode and select the electricity option no error popup appears, your home is within the Enedis service territory.

 When to Submit a Service Installation Request

It's a good idea to contact the distribution system operator (Enedis) as soon as possible, as the electricity installation process can be quite time-consuming. Simple service installation requests take approximately two months, but the process can take up to six months if Enedis has to prolong the network to reach your home. You can find the appropriate number to call Enedis on our contact Enedis page.

Did You Know?You can also contact an electricity supplier directly for assistance. Some electricity suppliers will even take care of of the process for you and make the Enedis service installation request on your behalf. Call Selectra at 09 87 67 37 93 or get a free callback for English speaking customer service to help you find a supplier.

 Service Installation: What You Need

As is the case with so many other aspects of moving to France, connecting to the electric distribution grid requires compiling a dossier. These are the documents you need to request new service installation:

  • A copy of the building licence (permis de construire), or an urban planning licence (autorisation d'urbanisme)
  • An extract of the land register (extrait du cadastre), or any situation plan
  • A layout plan of the site (plan de masse)
  • Photographs of your property
  • Commitment to pay for the work on your property as part of your connection to the distribution system
  • Desired power capacity (# kVa)

Once you have submitted your dossier, Enedis will send you a connection proposal (proposition de raccordement) within ten business days. The proposal will outline costs, schedule, details of the work to be accomplished, and your dedicated point of contact (Enedis representative) for the procedure. If your home is in a remote location and connection requires extension of the distribution system, it may take up to six weeks for Enedis to deliver your connection proposal.

You have three months (starting from the date you receive it) to accept the estimate (any later and you will have to resubmit another dossier). Work starts according to the proposed timeline once you accept the estimate and make the first payment installment (you must make an initial payment for work to begin). 

 Choosing your power capacity

One of the particularities of the French electricity system is that you can choose the amount of power capacity you would like delivered to your home. In French this is known as the "puissance du compteur". Meters can be fitted to accept as little as 3 kVA to as much as 36 kVA. Though most French homes use 6 kVA for their electricity supply, it is common for houses in France to be outfitted for 12 kVA.  

Enedis offers three types of power connections: 

  1. 3 kVA (single-phase or three-phase), for very specific uses (typically for outside accommodations). 3 kVA may be sufficient for a small student apartment that is not heated with electricity.
  2. 12 kVA single-phase is the right amount of power for most individual accomodations, even if they are heated with electricity. Most accomodations in France then subscribe a 6 kVA power contract (puissance souscrite) with a supplier; only big accomodations (heated with electricity) call for 9 or 12 kVA.
  3. However, choosing a 36 kVA power three-phase is necessary for large accommodations with electric heating or for professional uses (small businesses, farms).

How much does it cost to install new electric connection with Enedis (formerly ERDF)?

The total cost of new electricity service installation depends on a few factors:

  • The type of service installation: what voltage (low or high), and power capacity (3 kVA to 36 kVA) is requested
  • Geography: four connection zones exist (1 is the cheapest, 4 the most expensive). Zone 4 correponds to big cities, whereas Zone 1 refers to rural areas, where connections are cheaper to make.
  • Type of operation required: will connection affect public and private property, on private domain exclusively or public domain only
  • Type of connection: underground or overground?
Enedis Prices (incl. all taxes) for connecting your house to the power grid

Connection zone

Electrical system

Complete connection*, underground

Complete connection*, overground

Connection to public property**

Connection to private property***

1

12 kVA single-phase2093.28889.20

1744.08

472.80
36 kVA three-phase2158.081008.00541.20

2

12 kVA single-phase2180.88889.20

1819.68

472.80
36 kVA three-phase2244.481008.00541.20

3

12 kVA single-phase2225.28889.20

1859.28

472.80
36 kVA three-phase2291.281008.00541.20

4

12 kVA single-phase2442.48889.20

2041.68

472.80
36 kVA three-phase2506.081008.00541.20

Source: Enedis; last update: February 2016.

*Complete connection: these fees apply when construction works take place on both public and private domains. Note that those fees do not include construction costs on your property (i.e. digging of a trench and purchase/laying of necessary cables).

**Connection to public property: these fees apply when the construction work takes place only on public property (for example, for vacant land).

***Connection to private property: these fees concern the construction work done on a private property -  while building an allotment, for example. Note that those fees do not include the trench nor the purchase/laying of cables.

Compliance Certificate (Consuel)

The Consuel certifies that an accommodation complies with national standards

You must provide your electricity supplier with a certificate of conformity (attestation or certificat de conformité) before receiving electricity supply (mise en service). This certificate is done through a French agency called the CONSUEL (Comité National pour la Sécurité des Usagers de l’Electricité), and proves that your electrical service installation (meter, electrical connection) meets the required norms and standards.

Your electrician should do this paperwork for you, and make the request for a CONSUEL technician to come inspect the property. If you have done the electrical work yourself, you can make the CONSUEL request in your own name.

The phone number for the CONSUEL is +33 (0)821 203 202 (note that you may need to speak French).

There is a fee for the CONSUEL conformity certificate:

CONSUEL certificate typeType of electric installationPrice
Yellow (jaune)Domestic consumption116.57€ incl. taxes
Green (vert)Non-domestic consumption53.53€ incl. taxes
Blue (bleu)Electricity Production162.79€ incl. taxes

Activating Electricity Supply

Once the electric service installation is completed, you can open an account with an electricity supplier and activate electricity supply (if you have not already contacted a supplier). As you have a choice of electric provider in France, it is worth taking the time to compare prices in ordre to be able to choose the cheapest electricity supplier for yout needs, as rates can vary greatly! You can also contact Selectra to select an electricity supply plan and arrange an appointment to activate electricity service with an Enedis technician form the distribution system operator.

Though it is performed by an Enedis technician, electricity service activation is arranged through your supplier. Either you or someone representing you must be physically present on the day of your appointment with the Enedis technician.

Price of Service Activation

Type of Activation

Delay

Cost (incl. taxes)

New service activationUp to 10 business days1,66 €

Looking for an electricity supplier?Call our English-speaking advisors at 09 87 67 37 93 (Monday to Friday 8:30 am-8 pm; Sat 9:30 am-6 pm) or get a free callback to learn more about electricity providers in France and subscribe to a contract.

Glossary of French Terms

French Term

English Definition

French Term

English Definition

Enedis (formerly ERDF - Électricité Réseau Distribution France)Power utility throughout most of FranceELD (entreprises locales de distribution)Local power utilities
Demande de raccordementNew electric service installationMise en serviceElectric service reactivation
Permis de construireBuilding licenceAutorisation d'urbanismeUrban planning licence
Extrait du cadastreLand registerPlan de masseLayout plan
Proposition de raccordementNew service installation proposalPuissance de compteurPower capacity
Attestation/Certificat de conformitéCertificate of conformityCONSUEL (Comité National pour la Sécurité des Usagers de l’Electricité)National Committee for Safe Electricity Usage (note: sometimes the conformity certificate is referred simply as the "consuel")