French consumers regularly receive their electricity bills, but it must be admitted that they rarely manage to understand all their lines. Habitat EnR, a specialist in renewable energies, will help us understand what the electricity bill is made up of and especially how to reduce it.
How to read your bill?
There are three main components of the bill: the price of the subscription, the price per kilowatt-hour and the taxes. The subscription price is the same every month. It depends on the power of the meter and the rate option chosen. For example, with an off-peak rate, the subscription is more expensive and vice versa. This is the fixed part.
For the variable part, there is the consumption price. This is the price you pay for every kilowatt-hour that comes through the meter every time you use electricity. It depends on the basic rate option and the supply, either off-peak or peak.
The same taxes can be found at all electricity suppliers in France: value added tax, transmission tariff contribution, contribution to the public electricity service and tax on final electricity consumption. All of this represents about 35% of the average consumer’s bill.
Most French consumers choose to pay their electricity bill on a monthly basis. Usually, the supplier establishes an estimate of consumption on the basis of which he gives a payment schedule. In this case, it is this consumption estimate that is used as the basis for billing when the actual meter reading is taken.
An adjustment bill is sent to the customer and shows a balance to be paid or possibly an overpayment. However, some consumers choose to pay their bills every two months. In this case, the bill is based on an estimate of consumption for the two months concerned.
For our RE housing specialist, consumption estimates are based on the history of past years or on a consumption profile questionnaire. Over- and under-estimates are frequent and are the main source of dissatisfaction and litigation.
For this reason, energy suppliers are gradually starting to install new generation meters in all households in France, which will transmit actual consumption to suppliers every month. In the meantime, consumers who pay their bills every two months can regularly declare their meter readings on their customer space, so that each bill reflects their actual consumption.
This service offered by all suppliers is called auto meter reading. Until 2007, EDF held a monopoly on the supply of electricity to private individuals. The year 2007 marks the total opening of the energy market to competition. As a result, other suppliers now compete with EDF on its market.
Reducing energy consumption
To reduce your electricity bill, as advised by Habitat EnR, a specialist in renewable energies, you should switch to solar energy and choose a photovoltaic solution recognized for its excellent performance, quality and efficiency. Habitat EnR offers modules made in Europe with all the appropriate certificates and a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty.
