The French energy market regulatory authority announced today, January 18, 2021, that it proposes an increase in electricity prices of 1.6% for households and 2.6% for its business customers starting next month.
In a statement, it said that the proposed increase, which will add 15 euros annually to the French household bill, clearly reflects the consequences of the health crisis caused by COVID-19 on the French electricity network. Meanwhile, the French central bank stated that the country's economy likely contracted by 4% in the last quarter of the previous year compared to the previous three months, although activity increased in December following the lifting of lockdown measures imposed to combat the spread of COVID-19. According to the central bank's estimates, economic performance this month is down 7% from pre-crisis levels, unchanged from the end of last year, but at the same time, it registered an improvement from -11% in November when the country was undergoing its second lockdown due to the pandemic.
