Created in the 1960s, the off-peak/peak hours system was designed during the all-nuclear era, in order to encourage households to consume at night, when demand was lower. But with the rise of renewable energies, particularly solar, this logic is no longer appropriate.
Better distribute consumption throughout the day
The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) has therefore decided to update the slots from autumn 2025, with gradual implementation until the end of 2027. In winter (from November 1 to March 31), off-peak hours will remain concentrated at night, between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., over a range of at least 5 consecutive hours. On the other hand, in summer (from April 1 to October 31), the reduced rates will switch during the day, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., when solar production is in full swing.
« Quite a few off-peak time slots are placed at times that are no longer off-peak for the system», Explains Emmanuelle Wargon, president of the CRE, to AFP. “ Conversely, we have relatively few off-peak hours where they would be really useful to the consumer and the network. » Of the 14.5 million French households having opted for peak/off-peak pricing, 11 million will see their schedule modified, mainly during the summer period. These changes will be communicated by the suppliers at least one month in advance: so don’t miss the information letter!
Concretely, the morning (7 a.m. – 11 a.m.) and evening (5 p.m. – 11 p.m.) times, where demand is highest, will be partly eliminated in favor of mid-day hours. A subscriber whose off-peak hours are currently 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. could, for example, move to 1:30 a.m. – 7 a.m. at night and 2 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon. On the other hand, 3.5 million households will not be affected, in particular those whose off-peak hours already extend from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. These slots are considered consistent with the regulator’s new objectives.
This reorganization aims to smooth electricity consumption and reduce market imbalances. In 2024, France experienced 235 hours of negative prices, or 5.4% of the time in the first half of the year, compared to only 1.7% in 2023. These situations arise when production (notably solar) greatly exceeds demand, sometimes forcing producers to sell at a loss.
For the CRE, moving off-peak hours will help reduce these economic losses while offering more flexibility to consumers. The idea is also to support new uses, such as charging electric vehicles or controlling heat pumps. “ This will allow more French people to have off-peak hours during the day, especially in summer. », summarizes Emmanuelle Wargon. “ This is consistent with new lifestyles and teleworking. »
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