From 1st October GDF Suez will increase gas prices by 3.9% and will review prices each month rather than annually. EDF will follow with a 2% electricity price rise at some time during the autumn.
Both these markets are strictly regulated by government set tariffs but are theoretically open to competition from other suppliers. But 7 years after the market was opened up, only 9% of consumers have switched from EDF with more like 25% moving from GDF. Perhaps we should be grateful not to be pestered by callers offering to switch our supplier to someone cheaper every few weeks as in the UK - but perhaps we should think about saving money or just keeping warm at a lower price. You pays your money etc.
Still on the subject of gas, Mme Royal, the Minister for Energy and Environment, confirmed her opposition to exploring for shale gas (gaz de schiste) in France, preferring to promote energy saving and renewables unless an alternative to "fracking" could be found. Last week Nicholas Sarkozy said it was senseless to deprive the French economy of a source of home produced gas when the supply could be threatened at any time.
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