Frédérique Fériaud, director general of the “National Energy Mediator”, affirms on franceinfo that the State will cover on average “37% of the French electricity bill thanks to the tariff shield”, against 43% until here.
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“Consumers have been considerably protected by the tariff shield, they still are”said this Tuesday on franceinfo Frédérique Fériaud, director general of the “National Energy Ombudsman”, while the executive announced a 10% increase in regulated electricity prices on August 1.
“The government has announced that it will maintain the electricity tariff shield until the end of 2024”, reminds the director before adding: “We are gradually getting out of it but it is still maintained”. She admits that this increase is “very heavy” but temper: “Rates today would be 75% above those of February if the shield were not maintained.”
“In the second half of 2023, it is the State which will continue to pay on average 37% of the French electricity bill thanks to the shield. Until now it was 43%“, explains Frédérique Fériaud who believes that “it’s still important”. Asked about the situation in Europe, she says that France has made more efforts than Germany, for example: “As of June 1, 2023, a household’s electricity bill is around 50% higher” than in France.
An increase especially felt next winter
Concerning the most modest French people, also concerned by this increase on August 1, the director recalls that it “there is aid that is granted to the most precarious households”. She takes the example of the energy check: “Eligible people are those who earn less than 11,000 euros per year, for a single person. They will receive it and use it to pay their bills”. She notes, however, that “its amount has never been revalued and in a context of price increases such as the one we know, it is undoubtedly a reflection to have to help a little more those who need it the most”.
According to her, for the moment, the increase is not yet felt, it will be especially so this winter: “Because that’s where the consumption increases. During the summer it’s relatively painless, except for those who use the air conditioning a lot.”