New gas prices: what are the changes?

Since 2014, regulated gas sales tariffs (TRVG) have been phased out to meet European demands as part of the opening up of energy markets. Consumers had since been protected from sharp increases in market prices. From now on, 2.3 million consumers are concerned for 11 million natural gas customers in France.

According to FlorenceFouquet, director of the private market at Engie, “the government has indicated that it will maintain the price shield until the end of 2023. So (…) in the event of an explosion in prices, it there is no problem, all French people, whatever their offer, whatever their supplier, are protected,” she said during a press conference.

Despite its desire to reassure customers, many uncertainties remain about future tariffs, for which the government plays an important role. “The story from 2024, nobody knows it. Will the government want to put up a shield again? It will depend a lot on the state of market prices in the second half of 2023,” she added. , as reported by Capital. Customers will still be able to subscribe to new offers which will be at fixed prices over the long term. But these fixed contracts will require a little more money.

Valid until June 30, this price shield could be extended. Once again, the government will have to decide the fate of it, extending it until December 31, 2023, or not. In other words, this tariff shield is coming to the end of its fixed-term contract for which the executive has not yet decided.

Unsurprisingly, this announcement of the disappearance of regulated gas prices makes people cringe. Subscribers will be waiting for the new prices set according to the market price, and will undoubtedly start to rise again next winter.

François Carlier, general delegate of the National Association for the Defense of Consumers and Users (CCLV) protests about the difficulties expected by customers and the non-decisions taken by the government: “We continue to tell the government that it would be more reasonable to extend the regulation of gas tariffs in France for a year or two, because there is a problem of insecurity on the contractual tariffs. But for the moment, this request remains in vain. In July, there is will still have over two million subscribers with TRVG contracts which will then have to change.”

In the oft-mentioned context of the war in Ukraine, the rise in gas prices stems. Since then, the government has frozen the TRVGs applied by Engie from October 31, 2021 to December 31, 2022. Once this was done, the increase was capped at 15% on January 1. From June 30, customers who have not paid attention, despite the information letters, will be automatically transferred to an offer offered by Engie from July 1, 2023.

For once, this proposal should lead to an automatic price increase of 3% following that of 15% suffered in January, as explained by the editorial staff of L’Informé. Engie’s TRV customers will be on top of the “Gaz Passerelle” offer. However, this last information was not specified in the letters sent by the State to inform customers of their imminent changeover.