Following the publication of the decree dated 30 April 2026 authorising the implementation of a pilot scheme for regulated electricity sales tariffs (TRVE), the Commission de régulation de l’énergie (CRE) presents the conditions for its application, including time intervals, tariff structures and communication rules.

The pilot scheme aims to assess whether “small consumers” (with a capacity between 3 and 6 kVA) can adapt their electricity consumption in response to price signals, by encouraging or discouraging consumption across different time periods.

Consumption flexibility – a key system issue

Electricity consumption in France varies significantly across the day, week and seasons, with pronounced winter peaks. In recent years, these fluctuations have also coincided with high photovoltaic generation during summer daytime hours.

This requires greater flexibility between production and consumption, so that both better align with the needs of the electricity system. In this regard, the regulator has already implemented several measures:

• Reform of the “peak/off-peak hours” system (TURPE 7), aimed at better aligning consumption and production;
• Methodological changes to TRVE design to increase the attractiveness of the peak/off-peak tariff option;
• Gradual removal of the standard base tariff option for higher-capacity customers and its phase-out for mid-range capacities, in order to encourage more flexible consumption behaviour.

Objective of the pilot scheme

The aim of the pilot scheme is to test whether small consumers (up to 6 kVA) can be incentivised to shift part of their electricity consumption to more favourable time periods.

These consumers are currently mostly on the standard base tariff, where electricity prices remain the same throughout the day. Although their individual flexibility is limited, they represent a significant group of around 13 million customers, of which 7.5 million are on TRVE, and therefore hold substantial system-level flexibility potential.

In implementation of the decree dated 30 April 2026, CRE publishes the conditions for the pilot scheme, which will run for one year, from 1 October 2026 to 1 October 2027, in order to cover all seasons and assess consumer behaviour under real conditions.

6,600 randomly selected customers divided into three groups

A total of 6,600 residential customers will be randomly selected by EDF from households subscribed to the TRVE base tariff option with a maximum capacity of up to 6 kVA. Participants will be notified four months before the start of the pilot scheme and may opt out prior to its launch, as well as withdraw at any time during the experiment.

The selected participants will be divided into three groups:

• Group 1: A “base / winter peak” tariff will apply. Higher prices will be applied between 18:00 and 20:00 on weekdays during the winter period (1 November – 31 March), while prices will be lower than the base tariff for the rest of the year.
• Group 2: A more complex “base / winter peak / summer midday off-peak” structure will apply. Higher prices will apply between 8:00–10:00 and 18:00–20:00 in winter, lower prices between 11:00 and 17:00 in summer (1 May – 31 August), and lower-than-base tariffs for the remaining periods.
• Group 3: This group will serve as a control group. Participants will remain on the standard base tariff without changes or incentives to modify consumption behaviour.

At the end of the pilot scheme, all participants will be returned to the standard TRVE base tariff option.

No financial risk for participants: bills will be equal to or lower than the base tariff

CRE publishes the applicable tariff structures within the pilot scheme, which will be submitted for opinion to the Higher Energy Council.

Group 1 – test tariff

• Winter peak hours: 18:00–20:00 (weekdays, 01/11–31/03) – 23.78 c€/kWh excl. VAT
• Base hours: all other periods – 12.64 c€/kWh excl. VAT

Group 2 – test tariff

• Winter peak hours: 8:00–10:00 and 18:00–20:00 (01/11–31/03) – 23.07 c€/kWh excl. VAT
• Summer super off-peak hours: 11:00–17:00 (01/05–31/08) – 5.33 c€/kWh excl. VAT
• Base hours: all other periods – 12.79 c€/kWh excl. VAT

Group 3 – TRVE base tariff

• Base price: 13.08 c€/kWh excl. VAT

The proposed tariff structures are designed to be equivalent to the average level of the current TRVE base tariff, reflecting underlying cost structures. As with other TRVE tariffs, they will be updated on 1 August 2026 and 1 February 2027.

As this is a pilot scheme, participants face no financial downside. At the end of the one-year period, a settlement will be carried out and the most favourable tariff (test or base) will be applied.

This ensures that participants in Groups 1 and 2 may reduce their bills by shifting consumption, while being guaranteed not to pay more than under the standard base tariff.

Customers supported throughout the pilot scheme

Information is essential to ensure that randomly selected customers can fully benefit from the pilot scheme. CRE therefore plans regular communication at all stages: four months before the start, monthly during implementation, and at the end.

In this context, EDF will be required to:

• inform participants in every communication of their right to withdraw at any time;
• send monthly emails reporting achieved savings, presented as a virtual balance comparing the base tariff and the experimental tariff, along with peak consumption tracking;
• send SMS and emails at the start of each tariff period informing customers of the current season (winter/summer) and recommended consumption periods.

These communication tools will help consumers better adjust and optimise their electricity usage across different household activities.

In addition, a dedicated telephone support line will be established to provide assistance throughout the pilot scheme.

Using results to develop future TRVE tariffs

At the end of the pilot scheme, participants who complete the full period will receive a feedback questionnaire. This qualitative survey will assess user experience, communication tools and the overall effectiveness of the scheme.

In addition, EDF will analyse changes in consumption behaviour. A report will be submitted to the Minister for Energy and to the regulator, which will publish it.

These findings will support further regulatory work on TRVE development and provide valuable data for market participants in designing more flexible tariff offers.

More information: CRE