unfavorable opinion on raising the ceiling of the Arenh

The draft order aimed at increasing the volume of nuclear electricity sold at low prices by EDF to its competitors within the framework of the Arenh mechanism, wanted by the government, received an unfavorable opinion from the Higher Energy Council (CSE), an advisory body , said Thursday the federations of the sector.

To contain electricity bills in a context of sharply rising prices, the government announced in January that it would force the EDF group sell more of its cheap nuclear electricity as part of the mechanism called Arenh (regulated access to historical nuclear electricity): an additional 20 TWh will thus be sold to EDF’s competitors at discounted prices compared to current market prices.

Both the electrician’s management and the unions are headwind against this decision to involve the group. While the President of the Republic is making a trip to Belfort today to announce his vision of the energy strategy for 2050, the CSE has just issued an unfavorable opinion on the draft decree aimed at increasing the volume of Arenh that EDF must yield to alternative suppliers, indicate the federations CGT, CFE-CGC, CFDT and FO of the energy sector in a joint press release.

The CSE is a energy policy advisory body, made up of MPs, senators, representatives of consumers, local authorities and companies in the energy sector, as well as employee representatives. It is consulted on regulatory texts (ordinances, decrees, decrees) concerning the sector.

In their press release, the unions welcome the fact that the CSE refuses a measure which turns out to be completely contrary to investment imperatives linked to France’s low-carbon transition and therefore to the vision defended by the President of the Republic. In particular, they welcome the vote of consumer representatives who have clearly expressed their concerns about these purely electoral measures.

The federations, however, say they regret that the CSE did not accept their proposal to lower VAT on the essential good that is electricity, and to finance this measure by calling for national solidarity with energy companies making exceptional profits with the surge in electricity. energy prices.