This is not surprising, but it has already happened. TURPE is a "toll" paid by consumers to fund investments in the power grid, which will increase in February next year. This was announced by the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) on Thursday, and the evolution of the 2025 bill is still unclear.

The increase was originally planned for August. The idea, explained internally: to avoid a "yoyo effect", that is, a fall in electricity prices in February, and then a new outbreak six months later.

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What exactly are we talking about? What revaluation to expect? What will be the impact on electricity bills? La Tribune Present opinions.

What are we talking about?

TURPE (Public Grid Usage Fee) is not a well-known acronym among the public. However, today, this accounts for approximately a quarter of the final bill for residential customers. Most importantly, it will become heavier and heavier. There are sufficient reasons why this fee must provide funding for the huge investment in energy transition. According to estimates from two grid operators, RTE and Enedis, energy transition investment is expected to reach nearly 200 billion euros between 2025 and 2040.

Goal: Connect new wind and solar energy parks or electric vehicle charging stations, which require pulling more cables. For example, it can also enhance the latter's resistance to extreme weather events.

What is the expected reassessment?

Every four years, CRE updates its formula to calculate the TURPE. The initial plan was to update in August 2025. For over a year, the administrative authorities have been studying the level and structure of this new tariff, which will apply from 2025 to 2028.

But here, with the development of renewable energy and the increase in electricity used for heating or mobility, future growth will be unprecedented. In fact, the energy regulatory agency revealed in October that it is studying the assumption of a 10% increase in TURPE. CRE stated that if we isolate this portion from invoices, it will result in an increase of 3% to 4% in individual monthly payments.

That's not all. exist Last August, Turpe Due to inflation, it should have increased by more than 4%. However, in order to protect the French people from the impact of the crisis, the government tends to postpone the price increase until February 2024. Therefore, there will be a double increase at that time. What does it represent According to energy broker Selectra's calculations, the average household earns an additional 60 euros per year.

What impact does it have on electricity bills?

So does all this call into question the 14% reduction in the regulated selling rate of electricity (RST) that will take place next February, if we believe the commitment made by the outgoing government? No, we assure the CRE together with the resigning Prime Minister Michel Barnier's office. Because this increase in TURPE was actually taken into account in the calculations.

Specifically, TRV is the EDF electricity price supervised by the public authority, subscribed by 20.6 million French, and will be greatly reduced next year, about -20%. This is because the market electricity prices have plummeted. Result: Even if taxes rise to pre crisis levels, CRE will increase this new network electricity price, which will still decrease. It's just not that important.

That's why CRE hopes to launch this new Turpe in February instead of August. . This will prevent opposite sense movements at six-month intervals for these customers ”He explained.

Is it good news for consumers?

But beware: this does not mean that this is good news for the consumer. First, he will pay the new TURPE six months more than planned. Above all, taking into account the return of consumption taxes, which will result in an average annual surcharge of nearly 85 euros per household according to Selectra, a typical family will have to expect about 145 euros of annual increase in its bill, explains the broker. This will be more than compensated, of course, by the fall in the “market price” component, thus allowing the fish to drown.

Finally, the outgoing government also plans to increase the value-added tax on electricity and natural gas subscriptions from 5.5% to 20% in its budget draft. The review system has been passed, but this measure is still pending... But it is likely to return to the special law. However, this According to Selectra's calculations, this will add an additional 21 euros to the annual bill. Therefore, please be careful not to be too happy about the decrease in bills in February next year.