By Structure of a French Energy Bill
Every French electricity or gas bill contains three main types of charge:
- Subscription charge (Abonnement) — a fixed monthly fee covering the cost of your connection to the delivery grid, passed on from Enedis or GRDF via your supplier. The amount depends on your power rating and the offer you chose.
- Consumption charge (Consommation) — a variable amount based on how many kWh you consumed multiplied by the per-kWh rate. Unless you have a Linky smart meter, Enedis reads your meter once or twice a year; between readings, consumption is estimated.
- Taxes (Contributions et taxes) — mandatory levies that no supplier can reduce. For electricity these represent a significant share of the total. VAT (TVA) is applied on top of all three components, including on other taxes.
Understanding Supplier Bills
Your EDF Energy Bill
The front page of an EDF bill shows:
- The billing period ("Période du 06/01/20XX au 05/03/20XX").
- The energy type and pre-tax amount per contract — electricity ("Electricité Tarif Bleu") or gas.
- VAT (TVA) — applied to subscription, consumption, and energy taxes.
- The total amount due including all taxes ("Total TTC") and the direct debit date ("Prélevé le XX/XX/XXXX").
On the left-hand side of your EDF bill you will find:
- The service address and account holder name.
- Your site ID — PDL (14 digits) for electricity, PCE (14 digits) for gas.
- Your power rating (puissance souscrite) in kVA.
- Your rate option — Base or HP/HC (Heures Pleines / Heures Creuses).
Your Engie Energy Bill
The second page of an Engie bill shows:
- Subscription total with and without VAT ("Total Abonnement").
- Consumption total with and without VAT ("Total Consommation").
- Tax contributions with and without VAT ("Total contributions et taxes").
- Total payable ("Total gaz naturel TTC").
- Service address and account holder name.
- Your site ID — PDL for electricity, PCE for gas, both 14-digit numbers.
- Power rating ("puissance souscrite") in kVA.
- Annual gas consumption reference ("consommation annuelle de référence") in kWh.
Your TotalEnergies Energy Bill
TotalEnergies bills are generally easier to read than EDF or Engie — all relevant information fits on one page:
- The amount payable excluding VAT ("Total hors TVA").
- The VAT amount and the total amount due ("Total TTC").
- The direct debit date ("Montant prélevé le XX/XX/XXXX").
- Your site ID ("Référence point de livraison").
Need help translating the terms on your bill? See our French energy bill glossary for plain English explanations of 9 key terms.
Quick Reference Glossary
Key French terms you will find on any energy bill:
- Abonnement→Subscription charge (fixed)
- Consommation→Consumption charge (variable)
- Total TTC→Total amount including all taxes
- Total hors TVA→Total excluding VAT
- TVA→VAT (Value Added Tax)
- Point de livraison (PDL)→Electricity meter reference (14 digits)
- Point de comptage (PCE)→Gas meter reference (14 digits)
- Puissance souscrite→Subscribed power rating (kVA)
- Prélevé le XX/XX/XXXX→Direct debit date
For a full explanation of 9 key terms, see our French energy bill glossary.
Frequently Asked Questions
The PDL (Point de Livraison) is a 14-digit number that uniquely identifies your electricity meter location. Suppliers need it when you open an account or switch providers. You will find it on the front page of any electricity bill. For gas, the equivalent is the PCE (Point de Comptage et d'Estimation).
Without a Linky smart meter, Enedis reads your meter only once or twice a year. Between readings your supplier estimates consumption based on your annual reference figure (CAR). Bills are adjusted when the actual reading arrives. With a Linky meter, readings are automatic and bills reflect real usage.
Yes. Selectra's English-speaking advisors compare offers and handle the entire switch for you at no cost — call +33 9 87 67 37 93. Switching in France is free, takes less than 10 minutes to arrange, and your supply is never interrupted.
Contact your supplier in writing explaining the discrepancy. If the bill is based on an estimated reading, submit your actual meter reading via your online account. If you cannot resolve it directly, the French energy ombudsman (Médiateur de l'énergie) offers free mediation.