Electricity off-peak hours change

Subscribers to off-peak electricity rates with suppliers like EDF, Engie, and Total Energies will pay more if they do not reprogram their appliances, according to reports. The change affects 11 million households in France that have chosen the peak and off-peak option in their electricity contracts.

Enedis updates time slots

Enedis, which manages most of France's electricity distribution, is updating the hours for peak and off-peak times. This change applies to 11 million households that have not yet adjusted to the new schedule, with the full impact becoming more noticeable in the coming days.

Many households already adjusted

Of the 14.5 million households with the peak and off-peak option, 3.5 million already have time slots that match the new rules. Between November 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026, 1.7 million households switched to the new hours, leaving 9.3 million to experience the change starting November 4.

Peak and off-peak pricing difference

With the peak and off-peak option, customers pay a higher rate for 16 hours of peak time and a lower rate for 8 hours of off-peak time. At the regulated EDF rate in effect since August 1, 2026, off-peak hours cost 0.1589 euros per kilowatt-hour, compared to 0.2142 euros during peak hours — a 26% difference.

New off-peak periods defined

The Energy Regulation Commission (CRE) decided to redefine off-peak hours. Suppliers like EDF, Engie, and TotalEnergies must apply the new schedule, which divides the 8 hours of off-peak time into two distinct periods: one at night and one during the day.

Seasonal adjustments to off-peak hours

The off-peak hours will vary by season. In winter, from November 1 to March 31, the off-peak time will mainly be at night, when solar energy production is low. In summer, from April 1 to October 31, more off-peak hours will occur during the day to take advantage of higher solar energy production.

Automatic and manual adjustments needed

Some household equipment, like water heaters with a day-night contactor, will automatically adjust to the new hours. However, other appliances will need to be manually reprogrammed by users. Failure to do so could lead to significantly higher electricity bills.