By Is My Home Already Connected to the Electricity Network?
Before starting the connection process, check whether the network already reaches your home. The steps are entirely different depending on whether you have a brand-new build with no connection, or a previously occupied home where the power has simply been cut off.
If you are moving into a previously occupied home — an apartment, a resale house, a rental — the grid connection is already in place. All you need to do is contact an electricity supplier and sign a new contract. The supplier arranges supply activation with Enedis on your behalf. With a Linky smart meter, activation is done remotely in under 24 hours for €1.78 — no technician required. See our guide to electricity contracts in France to get started right away.
If your home is a new build or an existing building that has never had a grid connection, you must first request a network connection (demande de raccordement) from Enedis, which is responsible for 95% of mainland France's distribution network. Some areas — particularly rural communes — are served by local distribution utilities (entreprises locales de distribution, ELDs), but the process is broadly the same. The full connection procedure is covered in the sections below.
How to Request a New Electricity Connection from Enedis
To connect a new build to the electricity network, you must submit a connection request (demande de raccordement) to Enedis. The earlier you submit, the better: a standard connection — where the network already passes near your home — takes approximately two months. If Enedis needs to extend the network to reach your plot, which is common in rural areas, the process can take up to six months. Start the procedure as soon as your building permit is confirmed.
The request is made online via the Enedis connection portal or by post to your regional Enedis service centre. You can find Enedis contact details for your area on our dedicated page. Some electricity suppliers will also submit the connection request on your behalf — call our advisors at +33 9 87 67 37 93 if you would like help handling the paperwork in English.
Your connection dossier must include the following documents:
- Building permit (permis de construire) or urban planning authorisation (autorisation d'urbanisme) ;
- Land register extract (extrait du cadastre) or a location plan ;
- Site layout plan (plan de masse) ;
- Photographs of the property and its surroundings ;
- Commitment to pay for the connection works on your property ;
- Desired power capacity (kVA) — see the guide below if you are unsure.
Once Enedis receives your dossier, they issue a connection proposal (proposition de raccordement) within 10 business days for a standard case, or up to six weeks if a network extension is needed. The proposal details the exact costs, schedule, scope of works, and your dedicated Enedis contact. You have three months to accept it — after that, you must resubmit a new dossier. Work begins once you accept and make the first payment instalment.
How Much Does a New Electricity Connection Cost?
The cost of a residential connection depends on your location (four geographic zones — zone 4 covers major urban areas), whether the works are underground or overground, and whether the network already passes near your plot or must be extended. For a standard single-phase residential connection on a serviced plot (terrain viabilisé), costs typically range from €400 to around €1,685 TTC — Enedis applies a 40% rebate (taux de réfaction) on the network-side portion of the work (source: Enedis barème PRO RAC 03E, April 2025).
These figures cover the Enedis connection fee only — they do not include earthwork (trench digging) or cabling on your private property, which your builder or a licensed electrician must arrange separately. If your plot is in a remote location requiring a network extension, expect an additional fixed cost of approximately €3,000 plus a variable cost per metre of line extended (roughly €110–€150/m depending on zone). In those cases the total can exceed €5,000 TTC. Always request a formal quote from Enedis via the connection portal before committing — the proposition de raccordement is binding.
| Scenario | Indicative cost TTC (2025) |
|---|---|
| Standard connection, serviced plot | €400 to ~€1,685 (with Enedis réfaction applied) |
| Network extension required | ~€3,000 fixed + €110–€150/m (variable by zone) |
| On-plot earthwork and cabling | Not included — arrange with your builder or electrician |
| Supply activation (mise en service) | €1.78 TTC — via your supplier, after connection |
Source: Enedis barème PRO RAC 03E (April 2025). Costs are indicative — request a formal proposition de raccordement for your exact address.
Choosing Your Power Capacity (kVA)
When requesting your Enedis connection, you must declare your desired power capacity — the maximum electrical load the meter can supply simultaneously, measured in kVA. This determines your connection type and the subscription band you will pay each month. Choosing too low means the supply cuts out when multiple appliances run together; too high means paying a higher standing charge for unused capacity.
According to Enedis data (2024), 6 kVA accounts for 50.9% of all residential connections in France — it suits most apartments and smaller houses not heated with electricity. Larger homes with electric heating typically need 9 kVA (25.8% of the park). You can always adjust your kVA after installation: with a Linky meter, the change is free and done remotely within 24 hours, so there is no penalty for starting at 6 kVA and increasing later.
| Power (kVA) | Share of homes (2024) | Typical use case |
|---|---|---|
| 3 kVA | 4.7 % | Studio, low-consumption, occasional use |
| 6 kVA | 50.9 % | Standard apartment or house without electric heating |
| 9 kVA | 25.8 % | House with electric heating or larger apartment |
| 12 kVA | 10.6 % | Large all-electric house |
| ≥ 18 kVA (3-phase) | 2.6 % | Large premises, professional use, farm |
Source: Enedis, residential connections study 2024 — 18.5 million sites.
The CONSUEL Compliance Certificate
Before any electricity supplier can activate your supply, you must provide a certificate of conformity (attestation de conformité) issued by CONSUEL — the national committee for safe electricity use (Comité National pour la Sécurité des Usagers de l'Électricité). The certificate confirms that your electrical installation meets French safety standards (NF C 15-100). Without it, no supplier can legally activate your connection.
In practice, your licensed electrician handles the CONSUEL procedure: they complete the dossier, submit it online via the CONSUEL portal, and request an inspection visit. A CONSUEL technician then inspects the property and issues the certificate — typically within a few weeks of the request. If you carried out the electrical work yourself, you can submit the dossier in your own name. A re-inspection in case of non-conformity costs approximately €232 TTC.
CONSUEL updated its tariff schedule on 2 September 2025. Current prices (source: consuel.com) are as follows:
| Certificate type | For | Electronic | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow (jaune) | Domestic / residential | €144.67 | €146.15 |
| Green (vert) | Non-domestic / commercial | €75.88 | €77.33 |
| Blue (bleu) | Electricity production (no storage) | €199.88 | €201.32 |
| Purple (violet) | Electricity production (with storage) | €228.84 | €230.30 |
All prices TTC. In force since 2 September 2025. Source: CONSUEL tariff document SC120_38.
Choosing an Electricity Supplier for Your New Home
Once your Enedis connection is in place and you hold your CONSUEL certificate, you are free to choose any electricity supplier in France. The French electricity market has been fully open since 2007: EDF, Engie, TotalEnergies, Octopus Energy, Ekwateur, and many others all compete for your contract. Comparing offers before committing is strongly recommended — prices vary significantly between suppliers and tariff types.
The two main options are the regulated rate (tarif réglementé de vente or TRV, exclusively from EDF) and market-rate offers from alternative suppliers. Market offers can be cheaper — especially fixed-price contracts locked in for one to two years. For a new all-electric home you should also consider a certified green electricity offer. Our guide to the best electricity suppliers in France ranks current offers for expats with English-language recommendations.
If you want help selecting a supplier and signing up in English, call our advisors at +33 9 87 67 37 93. They compare offers for your address, kVA capacity, and usage profile, then handle the subscription on the spot — free of charge.
Activating Your Electricity Supply (Mise en Service)
Once you have signed with a supplier and provided your CONSUEL certificate, the supplier sends an activation order to Enedis on your behalf. With a Linky smart meter — installed as standard in all new connections — activation is done remotely and costs €1.78 TTC. Under normal conditions it takes under 24 hours from the moment the supplier submits the order. You do not need to be present, and no technician visit is required.
As all new Enedis connections use a Linky meter, the remote activation process applies in virtually all cases. Once supply is live, you can also ask your supplier to activate off-peak hours (heures creuses) remotely for free — one of the key practical advantages of the Linky for new homeowners looking to reduce their electricity bill from day one.
| Meter type | Delay | Cost TTC |
|---|---|---|
| Linky (standard — all new builds) | Under 24 hours | €1.78 |
| Analogue meter (legacy cases only) | Up to 10 business days | €1.78 |
Source: Enedis mise en service costs 2025–2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
A standard connection — where the network already passes near your plot — takes approximately two months. If Enedis needs to extend the network to reach your home (common in rural areas), it can take up to six months. Submit your dossier as early as possible once your building permit is confirmed.
Yes — the CONSUEL certificate of conformity is required before any electricity supplier can activate your supply. It certifies that your electrical installation meets French safety standards (NF C 15-100). Your licensed electrician normally handles the paperwork. The yellow domestic certificate costs €144.67 TTC in electronic format (September 2025 tariff).
6 kVA suits most apartments and houses without electric heating — it covers 50.9% of French homes. If you heat with electricity, opt for 9 kVA. Large all-electric houses may need 12 kVA. With a Linky meter, you can adjust your kVA at any time after installation — the change is free and remote within 24 hours.
No. If the network already reaches your home — a previously occupied apartment or house — you simply need to contact an electricity supplier and sign a contract. The supplier handles supply activation with Enedis. With a Linky meter this takes under 24 hours and costs €1.78. No connection dossier or CONSUEL certificate is needed.
Yes — once the Enedis connection is in place and the CONSUEL certificate obtained, you are free to choose any supplier in France. Comparing offers is strongly recommended as rates vary significantly. Call +33 9 87 67 37 93 and a Selectra English-speaking advisor will compare offers for your address and subscribe you on the spot, free of charge.
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