President Emmanuel Macron has promised to announce in October the resumption of “control of the price of our electricity” to make it “sustainable for both our companies and our homes”, in a context of inflation and always high energy prices.
While a battle of figures pits the renationalized company EDF and the State over the future regulation of electricity, the president stated that he wanted prices that are “compatible” with the demands of “competitiveness” and that give visibility to both households and consumers. the consumers. our industrialists”.
“In October we will be able to really announce electricity prices that are compatible with this competitiveness and that give visibility to both households and our industrialists and have prices that place us in a totally favorable and competitive situation at the European level,” explained the president.
Tensions between EDF and the State
The state shareholder and EDF have been trying for several months to reach an agreement on the new regulatory framework that will replace Arenh, a mechanism that forces EDF to sell part of its electricity at low prices to its competing alternative suppliers until December 31, 2025. .
Between the State and the general director of the renationalized company, Luc Rémont, appointed 10 months ago, two visions of the method collide.
The State wants electricity prices to be as close as possible to production costs, to protect the purchasing power of consumers and promote the competitiveness of companies in a context of reindustrialization, a priority of the executive.
For its part, EDF, a company burdened with a record debt (65 billion euros in 2022), claims the right to be able to set its prices more freely thanks to medium and long-term offers formed in markets with large clients, industrial or alternative energy providers.
In fact, the company advocates for a new framework that allows it to better exploit its nuclear production and finance its colossal investments (25 billion euros per year) in its current and future nuclear park and in renewable energies.
Source: BFM TV
