Energy: the price of electricity will not increase, record sanction of €6 million for Ohm Energie

22 millions de ménages et d’entreprises concernés. Midi Libre – Midi Libre

The government has given up on implementing a 1% increase planned for August 1 and avoiding a new unpopular announcement.

This is a backpedal that will do good for the French people's wallets. The government has given up on enforcing the increase in the price of electricity from August 1st. rsquo;around 1%. An increase linked to the revaluation of the current transmission rate, which was initially planned.

It was the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) which officially announced this Monday: "The planned developments will not apply to August 1, 2024."

The government made this choice to avoid a new unpopular announcement. Thus, the bill for 22 million French households and businesses will remain stable. Even if the planned increase would have been modest compared to the increase in 11.7% of gas in July.

An annual increase from 10 to 40 €

That said, by renouncing to apply the tariff change, the government is therefore avoiding a second increase, after that of February of almost 10% as part of the exit from the costly tariff shield on the& rsquo;energy.

The “freeze” of these prices will make it possible to avoid an annual increase of around 10 to 40 € of their invoice, specified Roland Lescure, the Minister Delegate in charge of Industry and Energy, to the Parisian.< /p>

The question of purchasing power has concentrated most of the electoral debates in recent weeks, and that of energy prices has been accompanied by relatively aggressive proposals from the part of the opposition, in particular a reduction in VAT on the side of the National Rally and a temporary price freeze proposed by the NFP. Indeed, the Minister of the Economy Bruno le Maire had committed not to increase this tax further during the rest of the year 2024. "C&amp ;rsquo;is the last increase in this tax for the year 2024. The next one will be on February 1, 2025, we will return to the situation which was that before the tariff shield", he assured at the start of the year.

Sanction record 

In addition, the electricity supplier Ohm Energie was fined a record 6 million euros; for abusive practice in the context of the 2022 energy crisis. He is accused, according to the CRE, of having purchased cheap energy from EDF and having it resold at the highest level rather than having benefited its customers.