Gas prices: the regulated tariff is almost over, what increase on my bill?

GAS PRICES 2023. Will gas bills increase with the upcoming end of the regulated tariff? Here is all you need to know.

Will the gas bill still soar in the coming weeks? With summer settling in everywhere in France, gas consumption inevitably decreases. No need to heat your home for a few months. However, we should not fail to monitor the evolution of the price of gas. Because once the good weather is over, the bill could increase. Indeed, the 1^er July 2023, it will be the end of the regulated gas sales tariff (TRV). Gas suppliers will be free to set prices. Impacting clients’ budgets? Various offers exist. Here is our guide to find your way around and limit expenses?

Contract, price… Understand everything at the end of the regulated gas tariff

Since 2007 and the opening of the gas market to competition (with the end of the GDF monopoly), a regulated gas sales tariff (TRV) had been introduced by the State, which fixed the prices of gas each month. energy, in order to protect households from any excessive increase. This device disappears on 1^er next July by decision of the Council of State, which judged that it was a question of “obstructing the creation of a competitive gas market.” Consumers have been alerted to this change for three years.

If, despite the various reminders by mail, you are one of the 2.4 million customers who have still not changed their gas contract (a dot at the top of your bill indicates this), don’t panic: you will not have a cut from 1^er July. However, it is strongly advised to choose a new contract before June 30, directly online on the distributor’s website or by telephone. A completely free operation, cancellable at any time, and which does not require a change of meter.

What if I do nothing?

Again, no problem, a solution is already provided. 93% of gas consumers who have not yet changed their contract are attached to Engie. The operator plans to automatically switch to a new contract those who have not taken any steps. This will be the “Passerelle” offer (read below). No action will be required and the contract may be terminated at any time, free of charge.

gas price

France is divided into six zones for gas prices. Thus, price differences exist between cities. In addition, the tariffs vary according to the use of gas by the user: the basic tariff only concerns use for cooking, the B0 tariff concerns cooking and hot water, the B1 or B2i concern heating and cooking and/or hot water production. Here are the different prices June 1, 2023:

Thanks to our search engine, you can find out the exact rate applied to your municipality and understand which billing zone it is attached to.

The end of the TRV raises fears of a significant increase in the price of gas. Engie, the main gas supplier in France, said in mid-April that this would not be the case. But will words be followed by deeds? Near CapitalNational Energy Ombudsman spokeswoman Caroline Keller said the tariffs “are likely to be very slightly higher than the regulated tariff.”

Indeed, a new gas reference price will be published every month by the Energy Regulatory Commission (see below), but this will take into account elements that were not included in the calculation of the tariff regulated (mainly commercial costs related to customer acquisition procedures by operators). Operators should base themselves on its fluctuation to adjust their prices, even if this indicator is only “indicative and suppliers are free to build their offers” specifies CRE.

At Engie, the main offer that should replace the contract at the regulated price (called the Gateway offer) will see its prices fluctuate every month, as the price of gas changes. It is therefore difficult to predict the amount of the invoice in advance. On the other hand, some operators offer fixed-price contracts over a fixed period. An option to better calculate your budget in advance.

In addition, the government will end on June 30 the tariff shield applied to gas since 2021 because prices “have returned to pre-crisis”, indicated Bruno Le Maire. Not quite, as indicated by the Energy Regulatory Commission, but the shield made it possible to cushion an increase that households could not have supported.

If you have not changed your contract yourself, you will see your contract automatically switch to a market offer from Engie, from July 1, 2023. If you change supplier, find out on the website of the national energy ombudsman, herewhich offers a comparator of offers to find the formula that meets your consumption needs.

In addition, the Energy Regulatory Commission publishes a reference gas price every month so that consumers can have a benchmark in relation to the tariffs applied by their supplier. Here are the benchmark grid for the month of June 2023 :

The consumer is facing a veritable spike in gas prices in recent months. For households using gas as a means of cooking, but also for heating, the successive increases will seriously affect the end-of-year budget. The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) has indeed announced a mess of increases in recent months, these increases affecting the regulated gas prices charged by Engie. They act indirectly on market prices. We summarize what has happened in recent months:

• +10% in July 2021
• +5% in August 2021
• +8.7% in September 2021
• +12.6% in October 2021
• +15% in November 2021
• +15% in January 2023