Badger Électricité

EDF prices changes 15/08/2009

It's just come to my notice that EDF have adjusted their tariffs as of 15/08/2009.

The major change that I can see is that the unit cost (kWh) has been tinkered with. Previously, the very smallest size supply you could have (3kVA/15 amps) had a high unit cost (around 13 cents as I recall), but it is now gone down to 0,1078 € TTC*.

Before the changes all other supplies were then charged at the same basic unit cost. However, the next smallest supply (6kVA/30 amps) has seen a reduction to 0,1081€ TTC, whereas every size on up from there are now at 0,1125 € TTC.

Also of note is that the daytime (Heures Pleines) rate used to be the same as the basic rate, but this is now slightly higher, at 0,1154 € TTC (off peak, Heures Creuses, is set at 0,0734 € TTC).

Obviously, all the standing charges have increased too, by around 2% if the note in my last electricity bill is anything to go by. For the "horse's mouth" on all this click on "EDF Tarifs - basic & off peak" in the "Useful links" menu on the left.

Maybe we should all look at these increased costs as a further push towards making ourselves more energy efficient. Now, I really must go & get that solar water heating project finished......

*TTC = Toute Taxe Comprise / all taxes included.

Why is there so little power in my house?

Unlike domestic supplies in the UK those in France are restricted in overall power according to what you need/want. This is what the "disjoncteur d'abonne" or "disjoncteur de branchement" does. This is a large switch/trip probably located close to your meter & somewhere it will have a window with the amperage setting showing. This can mean different things depending on whether you have a single-phase (monophasé) or three-phase (triphasé) supply. They look similar to the picture shown here.

EDF (Électricité de France) charge a different standing charge ("abonnement") depending on what amount of power you require. If you don't have a large enough supply, or have too much, you can ask to have it changed, but there is a minimum time allowed before you can change it again. In some locations it might not be possible to have a bigger supply without expensive works to the local distribution network. The maximum power available under "tarif bleu" (the standard domestic/small user tariff) is 36kVa, single or three-phase.
Apart from the very smallest supply available (15 amps, or 3kVa) the basic unit charge (kWh - kilowatt hour) for electricity is the same for all sizes of supply - it's just the standing charge that increases. You can also have a cheaper off-peak rate for 8 hours overnight; this is known as "heures creuse" (literally, empty hours) & is similar to the Economy 7 system in the UK. Many people use the overnight rate to run their dish washer & washing machine. Also French electric water heaters are sized according to being able to heat up in the 8 hours overnight & should be set up to only switch on during the cheap times.

The current cost of these two variations can be seen here: EDF tarifs - basic & off-peak

There is another system of metering in France, known as Tempo. I'll make this the subject of another posting on this site very soon.

More about fuseboxes - where?

In France your incoming mains supply & its distribution are formed of two parts :

1. EDF's main cutout fuses, their meter, plus their "disjoncteur de branchement" (the device that both protects & limits your supply).
2. The property owners distribution board/fusebox/tableau de repartition.

EDF's responsibility for an installation ends at the customer side of the disjoncteur de branchement . They will not place their meter & associated stuff in places they don't approve of. Kitchens & bathrooms come into this category. There is an obvious bias to outside walls due to wanting to limit their cable run as well as the convenience of installing a "telereporteur" - a device that allows a meter reader to log your reading without entering the property.

Beyond the EDF side of things is your main fusebox/tableau de repartition. This is commonly next to the meter & so on, but there is no obligation for it to be so. You can have a run of appropriately sized cable to feed it in whatever location is best for you that also complies with wiring regulations (NF C 15-100).

A tableau de repartition must be no lower than 1m & no higher than 1.8m from the floor (see the "Make life that bit easier - keep to the regulation height"). New builds must have a GTL (Gaine Technique de Logment - a floor to ceiling section of trunking that houses the main tableau, plus 'phone, TV & satellite distribution). This should be in an entrance hall/lobby or other relatively easily accessible location (i.e. not at the back of the smallest bedroom that is accessed via a corridor!). If the main tableau is remote from the EDF disjoncteur it must include a main switch so that the entire installation can be switched off quickly in an emergency. I'd recommend a GTL if you are rewiring any property, new or old. A cupboard can be built to hide things, but everything must remain accessible & operable.

If you need more specific advice about your installation please don't hesitate to contact Badger Électricité.