ENEDIS (ex-ERDF), Power Grid Operator in France

ENEDIS, formerly ERDF, is the electricity grid operator for much of France. Created in 2008 with the opening of the French electricity market, Enedis is responsible for the management and distribution of electricity to 95% of the territory. To open an electricity account, the consumer may call the 09 87 67 37 93. The next electricity supplier will be in charge of contacting Enedis to activate the Linky meter. In case of power outage, the consumer must call the emergency service of Enedis at the 09 72 67 50 **. ** is the number of your department.

How to Contact Enedis for English Speakers

If you wish to contact Enedis in English, the best option is to refer to their online customer support which is now available in English, though the information is limited.

You may be able to contact Enedis in English via the Enedis Twitter account and the Enedis email form on their website, where you will find steps about common requests such as for Linky meters and for new service installations. For all other concerns, contact your electricity supplier.

There is no dedicated Enedis English helpline. Enedis customer service phone numbers are serviced in French. To get English-speaking assistance with the commissioning of your electricity meter, call a Selectra energy advisor on 09 87 67 37 93, or get a free callback.

Enedis Services and Rates

Enedis's rates are set by French public authorities (the Ministry of Energy, upon recommendations by the CRE).

All ENEDIS (ERDF) prices as of August 2020 (in French).

Who is Enedis?

Enedis is the new name for ERDF (Électricité Réseau Distribution France), the distribution grid operator for electricity throughout the majority of France. The company was created in 2008 following the opening of the electricity market in France, when the activities of what was then EDF-GDF were broken up into separate companies. It is a 100% subsidiary of the French energy supplier EDF (Électricité de France) and operates independently from the energy suppliers that are responsible for selling and managing electricity contracts.

Though the company had recently launched a new logo in an attempt to differentiate itself from its parent company, the French regulatory agency la Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie(CRE) requested the name change in 2016. The CRE, which oversees the French electricity market and its liberalisation, found that ERDF's name was too similar to EDF, leading to confusion and misinformation about the electricity market.

• Enedis at a glance (November 2020)
• 95% of the French territory is covered by Enedis
• 1.4 million kilometres of power lines
• 37 million customers in France
• 38 000 employees

Enedis and EDF: What is the difference?

Following the opening up of competition in the energy markets, it was necessary to distinguish within EDF the activities subject to competition (electricity production and energy supply), from network activities falling under the monopoly.

As a result, the Electricity Transmission Network (RTE) which manages the network of high voltage lines, and Enedis, which manages the low voltage network and the meters, were made subsidiaries. This has separated the role of EDF as a producer and supplier of electricity from that of Enedis (ex-ERDF), as the main operator of the public electricity network.

EDF and Enedis, a non-exclusive collaboration

This has allowed Enedis to remain a member of the EDF group (a wholly-owned subsidiary) but gives it the independence necessary to ensure fair and continuous access to the network for all consumers, regardless of their energy supplier.

This means that although Enedis is a 100% owned subsidiary of EDF, the network distributor works alongside alternative electricity suppliers, giving customers the option to select and switch providers based on their offers, and potentially lower their electricity bills.

EDF or Enedis: who to contact?

If you have an energy account with the historical provider EDF, you may be unsure about which of the two to contact for assistance. As a simple guide:

• Contact EDF for all supplier (contract) enquiries: billing and payment queries, meter commissioning and cancellation, and changing your subscribed power delivery (KVA) or tariff option.
• Contact Enedis, the network operator (regardless of its supplier), for all technical intervention requests: network troubleshooting, connection of new homes, meter reading and, with homes that have a Linky meter, tracking consumption via your Enedis login or online client space (Espace client).

What Does Enedis Do?

As the grid operator for most of France, Enedis is responsible for the following:

• Operating and maintaining the electricity delivery network, which includes responding to power outages and implementing modernisation measures (such as installing smart meters, known as Linky, and upgrading lines)
• Providing all electricity suppliers with equal access to the electricity network, and ensuring that all electricity consumers receive the same quality of service regardless of their supplier
• Technical interventions on electricity customer's meters, including activating and deactivating electricity supply, changing the meter's power capacity, performing meter readings (twice a year), and installing a new service.

More About Enedis

Linky meter rollout

In December 2015, Enedis began the installation of Linky meters in France. These smart meters are an investment from Enedis to modernise the distribution network and manage information flows more efficiently, for example, via automatic meter readings.

Already more than 3 out of 4 French households (30 million homes) are equipped with a Linky meter across rural and urban areas. In total, the program is set to deploy 35 million smart meters by the end of 2021.

Linky is a key part of a wider energy transition strategy by Enedis to save energy, increase the share of renewable energies in the energy mix, and develop a more ‘intelligent’ electricity distribution network (a smart grid).

Is your home equipped with a Linky meter? You could benefit from a Linky-specific electricity offer that is better-adapted to your energy use. Call 09 87 67 37 93, or get a free callback. Our English-speaking advisors can help you compare offers in a matter of minutes, free of charge.

Name Change Controversy

The French trade union Fédération CGT-Mines-Energie criticized the name change as needlessly expensive and would cost the company up to 300 million Euros. Enedis's direction have contested this number, claiming that the true cost of the name change was closer to 25 to 30 million Euros. The rebranding of Enedis will take place progressively over two years.

Tour de France Sponsorship

Enedis became the official partner of the Tour de France in 2016, which will certainly help increase the visibility of the company's new name.