Linky: you will have to pay an additional cost if you refuse the installation of the meter

Linky is not mandatory. Nevertheless, French people who refuse the installation of the connected electricity meter will have to pay an additional cost to cover the costs generated by the manual reading by Enedis. The Energy Regulatory Commission finally agreed on the amount of this additional cost. We will explain everything to you.

All French people are free to refuse the installation of the Linky meter. The government considers that an individual can refuse access to his home to Enedis teams wishing to install the connected electricity meter there.

However, French legislation provides that the electricity network operator can invoice additional fees for customers who have refused Linky. This additional cost is intended to cover the costs incurred by the manual meter reading.

Also read: electrosensitive people win their case against Linky and Enedis, sentenced to “clean up electricity”

Here is the amount of the additional cost if you refuse the installation of Linky from 2023

After launching a consultation on this topic, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) finally decreed the establishment ofa tariff system applicable to all French people who refuse to welcome Linky. As the Commission points out in its deliberation of 24 February, this additional cost is intended to cover the costsgenerated by this behavior» and the use of an old generation electricity meter.

Concretely, the French who close the door to Linky will have to pay 8.30 euros every two months, i.e. 49.80 euros per year. The Commission considers that an annual payment is not enough incentive for customers. This is why it opted for a bimonthly settlement. This measure will come into effect on January 1, 2023. The price could be revised, upwards or downwards, as of next August, specifies the report of the Commission.

Attention, only individuals who do not have provided their consumption index for 12 months (i.e. since January 1, 2022) will have to pay this additional cost first. Only 500,000 customers in France are currently affected by this “financial incentive measure”. From 2025, the fees will apply to all people still equipped with a traditional meter. To avoid these costs, simply request the installation of Linky equipment.

“Enedis is currently unable to distinguish those who are not equipped with a Linky meter by themselves from others. The diffuse deployment period will allow Enedis to ensure that all users who have not objected to the installation of a Linky meter will have been equipped by the end of the diffuse deployment period”explains the Commission’s report.

If you don’t have no Linky meter for technical reasons making it impossible to install, you will obviously not have to pay the additional cost. The Commission asks the manager to take stock of the French deprived of Linky by choice or by constraint by 2024. “CRE considers that all customers who would still prevent the installation of a Linky meter during this diffuse deployment phase must bear the additional costs generated”emphasizes the deliberation.

26 million euros annually generated by the recalcitrant Linky, assures Enedis

Between 2022 and 2024, meter recalcitrants should generate annual costs of 26 million euros for Enedis. These costs are in particular linked to the sending of notifications intended to request the consumption index, to propose the installation of the connected account, or to installation attempts. Enedis also announces “costs related to work on the information system” to customers.

The Energy Regulatory Commission points out that most French households are already equipped with a Linky meter. “The massive deployment of the Linky meter is coming to an end, more than 90% of Enedis customers being equipped as of December 31, 2021”explains the Commission on its official website.

Despite the delay caused by the health crisis, Enedis managed to hang up the wagons in the second half of last year. In its report, the energy regulatory authority asks the manager to continue the deployment in the most flexible and efficient way possible.

Alone 3.8 million French people are still without Linky, or 10% of the population. These recalcitrant fear in particular the connected meter of Enedis will inflate their electricity bill, that it is harmful for electrosensitive people and that it presents a fire risk.

What do you think of the measures decreed by the Regulatory Commission? Are you going to accept the installation of the meter following the costs that are coming? We are waiting for your opinion in the comments below.