Electricity prices
“totally disproportionate compared to real market prices”
: the Confederation of French Traders (CDF) asked the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire to bring together electricity suppliers to renegotiate their prices, deemed
“unfairly high”
this Monday, March 25.
The confederation brings together around twenty organizations of independent traders (florists, clothing, markets, booksellers, tobacconists, fairgrounds, etc.).
Its members
“urge the Minister of the Economy to immediately convene a meeting bringing together all professional players, under his authority, to initiate discussions with the main electricity suppliers and distributors on the renegotiation of contracts”
.
“Above ground”
contracts
This request follows that of hoteliers and restaurateurs.
The Group of Hotels and Restaurants of France (GHR) and the Union of Hotel Trades and Industries (UMIH) called on Bruno Le Maire on February 12, to renegotiate the prices of their electricity contracts deemed
“ Aboveground"
.
According to the CDF, which says it represents more than 450,000 companies and a million employees, electricity suppliers
“obstinately refuse to adjust their prices despite the drop in the cost of energy”
.
Small businesses in city centers would be
“forced to bear energy prices of up to 350 euros per MWh while the current market rate is less than 90 euros per MWh”
, assures the organization.
The CDF recalls the
“record profits”
of electricians in 2023: EDF ended the year with a net profit of 10 billion euros.
According to a survey carried out at the end of January by the GHR and the UMIH,
“more than half of professionals (59%) remain bound by energy supply contracts at extremely high prices, i.e. above 180 euros per MWh while the price of the MWh has decreased since the end of 2022 and is less than half of this price
.
“Ten to 15% of professionals would even be bound by contracts with prices exceeding 350 euros per MWh
,” according to the two unions.
Electricity prices increased for a majority of French people on February 1, with the end of the
“price shield”
.
For small businesses, the increase was 5.2 to 8% depending on the contracts.