French people’s electricity bill is about to experience a radical change. Gone is the traditional binary system with its 16 peak hours and 8 off-peak hours daily.
The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is preparing a complete overhaul of this system which will directly affect 75% of French households. This transformation aims to adapt electricity consumption to the country’s new energy realities.
A system overwhelmed by new consumption habits
The current division between peak and off-peak hours dates from a bygone era. Designed to optimize nuclear and thermal production, it no longer corresponds to contemporary energy challenges. The rise of renewable energies, the proliferation of electric vehicles and the evolution of heating methods have profoundly modified the national consumption curve. Periods of high demand on the network no longer correspond to the historical pattern.
The 30% reduction on the price of a kilowatt hour during off-peak hours encouraged consumers to shift their consumption towards the night. But this logic has gradually become disconnected from real peaks in production and demand. The abundance of solar electricity during the day and new urban uses require a complete rethinking of this system.
Complex pricing adapted to the seasons
The big novelty lies in the introduction of timetables differentiated according to the seasons. In winter, from November to March, off-peak hours will be from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the morning and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the evening. This time slot takes into account consumption peaks linked to electric heating and lighting.
In summer, the device adapts to solar production with advantageous slots of 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the morning and from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the evening. A major innovation appears with the addition of additional off-peak hours from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to exploit the surplus of photovoltaic electricity. This complexity aims to encourage consumption aligned with the actual availability of energy.
The Linky meter becomes essential
This price revolution is accompanied by increased pressure on the 2.1 million households still equipped with old meters. The CRE plans to impose a financial penalty at the beginning of 2025 on those who resist the meter Linky. An additional bill of 42 euros per year minimum awaits them, increased by 25 euros if they do not transmit their consumption statements.
The smart meter thus becomes the keystone of this new pricing. Its ability to monitor consumption in real time and to be controlled remotely makes it an essential tool for optimizing your bill. Consumers will need to rely on the scheduling features of their electrical devices to take advantage of these new schedules.
Experts estimate that significant savings remain possible for households that manage to concentrate at least 30% of their consumption on off-peak hours. Intelligent use of new programming technologies could even generate 10% additional savings. But this optimization will require finer and more careful management of its electrical uses.
- The current peak/off-peak system will be replaced by a seasonal price scale from August 2025
- New schedules adapt to solar production and modern consumption peaks
- Those who resist the Linky meter will have to pay a penalty of at least 42 euros per year from 2025
