The gas benchmark price will increase by 5.8% TTC in France on 1 December 2026. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) announced Monday, 9 November. This monthly benchmark will reach €206.26 per megawatt hour, compared to €194.90 in November. The increase relates to the offers that follow this indicator. Fixed-price contracts are not subject to this change in supply.
Average increase of 16 euros in December
The CRE is calculated as the average effect of EUR 16 including VAT on the December invoice of customers to the indexed offers. This amount is neither a lump sum nor a ceiling. The real effect depends on consumption, use of gas and contract terms.
The regulator also estimates the increase in the average annual invoice from 2026 to 11.8% compared to 2025. This represents an additional EUR 143 TTC. This annual calculation should not be confused with the only additional December cost.
About six million households have an offer indexed to this reference. Fixed offers accounted for about 40% of residential contracts by the end of 2025. France had 10.23 million natural gas households on 30 June 2026.
Gas benchmark price: distinguishing between subscription and consumption
The amount of €206.26 per MWh is an average that includes consumption patterns. It does not correspond to a single price per kilowatt hour applicable to all households. The December grid distinguishes in particular the heating of cooking and hot water.
| Use, GRDF area | Annual subscription | Average price of kWh TTC |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking and hot water | 152,46 € | 0,20155 € |
| Heating | 360,79 € | 0.16896 € |
These values are indicative. The grid covers the GRDF network, representing approximately 95% of residential customers. Separate references exist for local distribution companies. Localization also causes transport and storage costs to vary.
A gas heated fireplace consuming between 4 and 6 MWh per year may fall into different categories depending on the supplier. The CRE invites these customers to compare offers according to their annual consumption.
October quotations are reflected with offset
Only the supply component changes as of 1 December. The calculation is based on a monthly reference of 80% and a quarterly reference of 20%. For December, the quotation periods selected are October and August 2026 respectively.
The recent decline in a market price is therefore not instantly passed on to the benchmark price. This is based on a formula and averages previously observed, not on the last scoring session.
Emmanuelle Wargon, President of the CRE, links this pressure to tensions on the international market and to the decline in supply since the Ormuz crisis. France imports 95% of its gas. With regard to winter, the Commission considers that the main issue concerns prices and does not foresee a supply problem, without excluding any risk.
The contract remains the document to be checked
The benchmark price is not a regulated tariff to which consumers can subscribe. Regulated gas tariffs disappeared in July 2023. Suppliers shall determine their offers and conditions of evolution.
The National Energy Ombudsman recommends comparing the price of kWh and subscription, including all taxes. The proposed monthly payment is not sufficient: it is based on an estimate that can lead to regularization.
For a fixed offer, the components actually blocked and the expected duration must be checked. Terms of service, ancillary fees and devolution rules also count. Individuals can change supplier at no cost. The Ombudsman’s public comparator allows us to examine offers according to their situation, not just the percentage increase announced for December.
Illustration archive: flames of a stove, photographed on June 11, 2007. Photo: Marina Burity / Wikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 2.0. whole photograph preserved; Libnanews typographic clothing distributed under the same license.
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