Energy: the government is considering a guaranteed rate for condominiums

Europe 1 with AFP 3:26 p.m., January 8, 2023

Two days after the announcement that very small businesses (TPE) would benefit from a guaranteed electricity rate in 2023, the Minister Delegate for Housing Olivier Klein announced that a similar measure for collective housing would be discussed with suppliers. of gas and electricity.

In 2023, VSEs (less than ten employees) will pay a maximum of 280 euros per megawatt hour of electricity on average over the year, according to a government announcement on Friday.

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This is much more than the historic price, rather around 50 euros, but less than the 400 to 1,000 euros reached during the second half of 2022, which will avoid catastrophic increases for bakers, restaurateurs and other artisans.

Households covered by the tariff shield

"For condominiums or lessors who have taken out too expensive electricity or gas subscriptions, well there is work being carried out with energy companies as it is also carried out for companies, for bakers", said Olivier Klein on Radio J Sunday.

"It's the same principle, we will work with the energy companies so that they have prices that are not unbearable for the condominiums, for the lessors."

Households have been covered since last winter by what the government calls a gas and electricity tariff shield, capped tariffs, which have been increased by 15% in 2023.

There is no longer "no hole in the racket"

This tariff shield initially included many holes, for example for social housing or condominiums which could not benefit from it.

Specific aid has been added during 2022 and until December 31 to fill the last 1 to 2% of collective contracts not covered by the tariff shield.

There is no longer "any hole in the racket" for households, assured the minister on Sunday, referring to collective electric heating or the charges for common areas.

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According to him, the shields will cover the year 2023, and will be retroactive: "Where there have been excessive calls for charges, there will be regularizations of charges".

For condominiums, a problem was that the trustee of the building or the social landlord had to claim the aid a posteriori and that this public aid was de facto capped.

If a guaranteed rate were adopted for condominiums in 2023, on the model of VSEs, this would go further than the current system, because it would make it possible to compensate more for the contracts signed in recent months at very high rates.