Starting August 1, 2023, electricity consumers in France who refuse to install Linky smart meters will face increased charges.

Enedis, the operator of the electricity distribution network, has announced that customers retaining traditional meters will pay an additional €6.48 every two months.

This charge, referred to as a "specific tariff term," aims to offset costs associated with maintaining the older metering systems, including the provision of tariff signals to traditional meters, manual readings, and customer service interactions.

For customers without a Linky meter who do not report their consumption data to Enedis, the increase will be €4.14 every two months, leading to a total of €10.62 in additional fees.

This is attributed to the extra costs incurred due to increased monitoring of these accounts.

These regulations are part of the TURPE 7, the pricing framework for the use of public electricity networks, governed by the French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE).

Approximately 5% of households in France continue to use older meters, while over 95% have adopted the Linky system.

The Linky meters, introduced following a law passed in 2015, are designed to provide real-time measurement and transmission of electricity consumption data.

Since their introduction, the facility has faced significant public resistance despite the claimed benefits, including precise consumption tracking and improved customer services.

Currently, there are more than 37.6 million Linky meters installed across France.

The legal framework regarding Linky meters was reinforced on April 9, 2023, when the French Court of Cassation upheld a ruling in favor of Enedis against two consumers opposing the installation of the smart meter.

This judgment effectively removes the ability of customers to refuse the installation of this new generation meter.