Royal rules out 5% EDF price rise

HOUSEHOLDS will no longer have to brace for a long-expected 5% rise in electricity bills in August, after energy minister Ségolène Royal announced it has been cancelled.

The increase had been widely anticipated after the Conseil d’Etat overturned a 2% limit imposed on electricity price rises set in 2012

But, speaking on BFMTV this morning, Ms Royal said that she had “cleared” the increase and was working “to reform the way the rising price of electricity is calculated”.

In April, shortly after returning to government, she had vowed to keep electricity price rises to a minimum and said that she was working to find a “commonsense solution” to the fallout from the Conseil d’Etat’s ruling.

Asked about the possibility of a price rise in January, she said that an announcement would be made on October 1.

The EDF tariff freeze is more good news for cash-strapped French households, and comes after Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced an income tax cut that would benefit about 3million families.