Starting this fall, off-peak electricity billing will be revised to align with high energy availability, particularly in the afternoons, in response to changing consumption patterns. Implemented gradually from November 1, 2025, this reform affects approximately 11 million households, allowing them to utilize lower rates during optimal times, especially during summer. The aim is to enhance grid balance and reduce negative pricing occurrences in the electricity market, promoting a more efficient energy distribution system.
Changes to Off-Peak Electricity Billing: What to Expect
Starting this fall, electricity billing during off-peak hours will undergo significant changes, with a shift towards time slots that offer abundant and cost-effective energy, particularly in the afternoons. This initiative aims to adapt to evolving consumption patterns and ensure a balanced electrical system, as announced by the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE).
Understanding the Rationale Behind the Shift
The current off-peak (HC) and peak (HP) system has been in place since the 1960s, following the introduction of nuclear power plants. This system applies to both regulated sales tariff offers and market options. According to the CRE, shifts in consumer behavior—such as increased teleworking and the use of programmable devices—have altered peak demand times on the electrical network. The reform seeks to realign off-peak hours to coincide with times of high electricity availability, particularly due to the increasing reliance on solar energy, when demand is at its lowest.
Emmanuelle Wargon, the president of the CRE, explains, “Many off-peak hours are scheduled during periods that no longer qualify as off-peak for the grid, while true off-peak hours are scarce.” The new off-peak hours are set to be implemented gradually, beginning November 1, 2025, and continuing through the end of 2027. Energy suppliers will notify customers at least one month prior to these changes.
With this adjustment, subscribers will have the opportunity to run various appliances—like water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, and even charge electric vehicles—during the most cost-effective hours. Wargon emphasizes that this reform will enable more households to access off-peak hours during the day, particularly in the summer months from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This means more options for consumers to take advantage of lower electricity rates, offering enhanced flexibility that aligns with modern lifestyles.
The concrete implications of this reform involve moving poorly timed off-peak hours (for example, 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM or 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM) to periods of high energy production and lower demand, primarily during the afternoons when solar energy is abundant.
Who Will Be Affected by This Change?
Currently, about 14.5 million households have opted for the HP/HC billing system, accounting for 40% of all households. Of these, 11 million will see changes in their off-peak hour schedules, especially during the summer months. For instance, a consumer with existing off-peak hours from 2:00 AM – 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM will find these hours adjusted, with a reduction of half an hour at night and an increase of half an hour during the day. Their new off-peak hours will be from 1:30 AM to 7:00 AM and 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM.
However, 3.5 million households will not experience any changes, particularly those with off-peak hours set between 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM. Wargon notes that these existing patterns align with the desired slots or those targeted for elimination. Additionally, subscribers benefiting from off-peak hours divided into two segments—1:00 AM to 7:00 AM and 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM—will also remain unaffected.
The significance of this change extends to the overall electrical network, as it promotes a more balanced distribution of consumption during times that are less taxing on the system. The CRE aims to mitigate negative pricing occurrences in the electricity market, which have been on the rise, leading to significant economic implications for the French energy sector. Negative price hours, when electricity is sold at below-zero prices due to oversupply, accounted for 235 hours in the first half of 2024, a notable increase from 147 hours in 2023.