Electricity tariffs in France: Compare electricity prices in 2023

Since the opening of the French electricity market to competition in 2017, there is no longer a single electricity price but a multitude of different tariffs. In fact, there are almost as many prices per kWh of electricity as there are suppliers! With the price of electricity varrying often according to the power of the meter and the tariff option chosen, it can be difficult for consumers to navigate how to get the best electricity offer. Luckily, we explain all you need to know about electricity prices in France in this guide.

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• The Price of Electricity in France
• The average price per kWh including tax is 0.2062 € in May 2023 at the regulated rate (Basic option, 6 kVA)
• In 2023, the average budget of a French household for electricity is €1300 per year, or €110 per month
• Energy prices increased much more than inflation in the last decade, while still staying below the European average
• The price of electricity changes on average twice a year, in February and August.
• In May 2023, 70% of French households were still subscribed to the regulated tariff and therefore saw a 15% increase on their kWh price on Feb 1st 2023
• To pay less for electricity, you can opt for an offer at a price indexed to the regulated tariff with a % reduction , or a fixed price offer

How much does Electricity Cost in France?

In 2023, 7 out of 10 French people had an electricity contract with EDF and its Tarif Bleu (the regulated sale tariff for electricity). If we consider that most of them have a Base meter option (with a price of electricity that is the same every hour of the day) and that the average power of the meter is 6 kVA, then we can say that the average price of kWh in France is 0.2062€ and the annual subscription charge is 143.87€.

With the average household in France consuming about 4770 kWh electricity (in French) in 2019, the average annual electricity cost in France ranged from 858.64€ - 898.02€, depending on the electricity provider and plan chosen. This works out to an average monthly power bill of about 79€ per month.

French Electricity Prices

The price of electricity per kWh in France can be freely determined by alternative energy suppliers or fixed by the State via the regulated EDF tariff, also called the “EDF blue tariff”. Therefore consumers have a choice between a the regulated rates and market offers. The historical supplier EDF is moreover the only supplier at the national level to be able to market the regulated tariff of electricity. This rate usually changes 2 times each year, according to what public authorities set, and is often used as a basis for alternative suppliers to establish their pricing schedules.

EDF Regulated tariffs

The electricity TRV is also available as a Tempo and EJP option. However, the EJP option does not have as much economic interest as before since its prices have only increased and other offers offer much more attractive rates. Find out more about these EDF rates.

Competitive Pricing Offers

There are two main price options for competitive pricing offers offered by the suppliers operating in France.

• Fixed prices offer a guaranteed price for electricity that stays the same over a certain time period.
• Indexed prices offer a discount off of the pre-tax regulated rate price

Some competitive suppliers also offer renewable energy plans, while others offer competitive offers for dual fuel plans.

Want to compare prices and subscribe to an electricity contract in France? Call our English-speaking advisors at 09 87 67 37 93, or get your free callback to get advice and sign up to the energy plan that suits your needs.

How to get the cheapest kWh price?

While this is not necessarily the case in other countries, in France the large majority of competitive suppliers offer lower prices than the regulated tariff, meaning that you can save money on energy by comparing supply offers.

The price of electricity changes continuously (and almost always increases). While it is not possible for consumers to fight against these price shifts, they can mitigate their effects by identifying the best electricity rates available and switching providers, thereby reducing the price per KWh charged for their electricity use.

Indeed, it is possible to reduce your energy bills simply by subscribing to a supplier that offers discounts on the regulated tariff. With an offer at a price indexed to the regulated tariff, the kWh price of electricity will always change, but will remain less expensive than the latter. Alternatively, you can subscribe to a fixed price electricity offer which allows you to secure the rates of your offer for the duration of the contract, therefore avoiding any tariff increases during that time.

As the historical electricity provider, the majority of energy consumers in France still have an EDF account and are not aware that they are free to switch providers or change electricity offers. Additionally, with EDF customer reviews being positive, generally, many consumers are satisfied with EDF's customer service, particularly given the EDF English helpline, and feel comfortable staying on the same offer. However, those looking to reduce their energy bills will do well to consider comparing competitive pricing offers, particularly with green energy suppliers, as this is where savy consumers can find the cheapest electricity price per kwh and access the most savings.

Check out our guide to learn all the tips and tricks to lower your electricity bills!

Factors in the Price of Electricity in France

The price of electricity in France includes three types of costs:

1. The Supply (cost of generating or buying electricity): this represents about 50% of the cost of electricity for residential customers. About 75% of electricity generated in France comes from nuclear-generated power.
2. Delivery costs: this is known as the TURPE (Tarif d’utilisation des réseaux publics d’électricité - Usage Tarif for Public Electricity Networks) and represents about 33% of the residential customer cost of electricity. The TURPE covers the costs of delivering electricity from power generating facilities across high voltage lines (managed by the RTE - Réseau de Transport d'Electricité) and local distribution lines (managed by the ENEDIS, which covers about 95% of France)
3. Taxes: there are several taxes that are applied to electricity consumption (see below), and when put together, they represent about 31% of the cost of electricity for residential customers
   1. Accise sur l'électricité : helps financing renewable energies, tariff equalization on the whole territory, and the basic needs tariff. It has a cap at 1€/MWh currently, but should get back to 30€+/MWh in 2025.
   2. TVA (Taxe sur la valeur ajoutée - value-added tax, VAT): represents 20% of the price of a kWh and 5,5% of the subscription rate.
   3. CTA (Contribution Tarifaire d'Acheminement - Tariff-based contribution to delivery): 27,04% of the fixed part of the TURPE. Used to finance specific pension rights of employees of the gas and electric industries.

Electricity Prices in Europe: How does France compare?

France still enjoys one of the lowest electricity prices in Western Europe. According to Eurostat, at €0.2086 per kWh in 2022, the average cost of electricity in France is 18% cheaper than the EU average (€0.2525 per kWh), compared to Spain or Germany where prices are respectively 43% and 55% higher than France's (Source: Eurostat).

However, with electricity markets in France deregulated, customers have a choice of supplier and price plan, meaning the price you pay for electricity could be lower or higher than this figure.