How to compare electricity suppliers effectively?

Since the opening of the energy market to competition in 2007, the number of suppliers and available contracts has increased significantly. As a result, it can be difficult for consumers to choose the best offer when considering switching electricity supplier. What criteria should you rely on? And how can you compare offers effectively? Here is our advice to help you choose your new energy supplier with confidence.

Understanding electricity offers to compare them properly

First of all, it is essential to understand what is included in the prices displayed by suppliers. In other words: what are you actually paying for when you subscribe to an electricity offer? As with a gas supply contract, your electricity offer includes a fixed part and a variable part.

• The fixed part corresponds to the subscription fee. It is calculated based on the different costs specific to each supplier (procurement, access to networks, etc.).

• The variable part corresponds to your consumption, calculated based on the price per kWh of electricity.

Various taxes are then added to this price:

• The Contribution Tarifaire d’Acheminement (CTA), which finances pension rights for employees in the electricity and gas industries (IEG).

• The Contribution au Service Public de l’électricité (CSPE), whose amount is proportional to the customer’s consumption, per kWh.

• The Taxe Intérieure sur la Consommation Finale d’Électricité (TICFE), a local tax that varies depending on the region.

• VAT: 5.5% on the fixed part and 20% on the variable part of each offer.

Unlike the gas market, regulated tariffs (Tarifs Réglementés de Vente – TRV) are still in force for electricity in France. These tariffs, set by public authorities, are provided by the historic supplier EDF and local distribution companies. They are updated annually and published by ministerial decree.

Other suppliers offer so-called “market-price” offers, where they freely set the price per kWh consumed.

Choosing your electricity supplier by comparing service quality

The price of an electricity offer includes much more than just the cost of the energy supplied. That’s why, beyond the displayed price, it is important to compare the quality of service you will receive. As a customer, you may need advice to reduce your bill, tools to access your data, and guidance to better understand changes in energy costs.

At ENGIE, for example, you benefit from customer service available 7 days a week, including Sundays, via phone, messaging, or chatbot. You also gain access to the “Mon Programme pour Agir” initiative, which rewards your efforts to reduce consumption and allows you to support projects contributing to the energy transition.

Service quality is also reflected in how easy it is to subscribe to a contract and adjust your plan. With ENGIE, subscription can be completed online in just a few clicks. You can also track your consumption daily with the “Ma Conso” online service. And with the “Mon Alerte” program, you are notified when your consumption significantly exceeds forecasts, allowing you to adjust and avoid high adjustment bills.

Comparing electricity supplier prices

The subscription cost should be assessed based on service quality, as explained above, and the options you can access. A cheaper subscription is only worthwhile if it offers services equivalent to a more expensive one. In other words: it is better not to sacrifice quality for price, as a supplier attentive to your needs can help you reduce your consumption and make your investment worthwhile.

The variable part is therefore key, as this is where you can take action by managing your consumption. Apart from regulated tariff offers, there are two types of market-price offers:

• Fixed-price offers: the electricity price per kWh is guaranteed for a given period (usually 1 year). This is the case with our Elec Référence 1-year and 2-year offers. Please note that taxes and other obligations may still change if the regulatory framework evolves.

• Variable-price offers: the price is generally indexed to the regulated tariff and follows its changes.

The price also varies depending on the plan you choose (single rate or “Heures Pleines / Heures Creuses” – peak/off-peak hours) and the power level you need (from 3 to 36 kVA, which corresponds to your meter capacity in France).

Variable-price offers have one advantage: they allow you to benefit from market price decreases when they occur, but they do not provide visibility on your future bills. Fixed-price offers, on the other hand, help smooth your bill over a set period, with competitive pricing.

Making your choice based on available options

With each contract, you can subscribe to additional options, free or paid, offered by suppliers. These options can make the difference when you are hesitating between two similar offers.

Tracking your consumption anywhere, at any time of day, accessing your documents online, receiving advice, or participating in programs supporting the energy transition: all these options can be decisive.

At ENGIE, services not included in your subscription are free of charge. You will not be billed extra. When you subscribe, you automatically or upon request gain access to the following services:

• Customer space: manage your contract and options whenever you want

• Ma Conso: monitor your consumption in real time to identify improvement areas

• Mon Alerte: know when you exceed your consumption forecasts, adjust your bill, and avoid surprises

• Online billing and e-documents: receive all your documents (bill, schedule, contract, etc.) online or in your customer space

• Mon Programme pour Agir: reduce your consumption, collect “KiloActs”, and support projects committed to the energy transition

Choosing a green electricity offer?

With the growing need to develop renewable energy, more and more suppliers are offering green electricity deals alongside their traditional offers. These guarantees ensure that the electricity supplied comes from renewable sources.

These offers often involve a higher cost compared to standard offers, but if this is an important criterion for you, include it in your comparison. At ENGIE, the leading provider of green electricity in France, all electricity offers are green. This means that for every kilowatt-hour of electricity you consume, an equivalent amount of renewable electricity is purchased in Europe. With the Elec Vert+ option, you can even support electricity production specifically in France.

 Need a new electricity supplier?