The ARENH and TRVs are trying to fit (into) the new Energy and Climate law

In the beginning, it was only meant to be a bill for correcting a minor issue – practically a typo or oversight on the part of the legislator.

Faced with the calendar rectified by reality (as long as the opposite wasn’t true), François de Rugy, Minister of the Ecological and Solidary Transition, confirmed before the senators last October that the 2015 Green Growth Act (LTECV) would be ‘slightly’ altered in order to take into account the postponement of the objective of reducing nuclear power’s share of the energy mix at 50%.

But enacting legislation on energy in general and on nuclear power in particular often results in opening a Pandora’s Box. Between the Yellow Vests crisis on one side and EDF’s financial situation on the other, the question of Regulated Selling Prices (TRVs) for electricity and therefore of Regulated Access to Historic Nuclear Electricity (ARENH) didn’t take long to invite itself into the debate.

As a matter of fact, it’s the government who first took action in order to neutralise the impact of the rise in TRVs by 5.9% on the 1st of June:

On the same day that the draft legislation was presented to the Council of Ministers, 30 April, François de Rugy explained on BFMTV that a new method for calculating regulated electricity prices would be implemented in 2020. ‘I’m not resigned to this calculation method that was passed twice in Parliament under a right-wing majority in 2010 and a left-wing majority in 2015,’ declared the Minister of the Ecological and Solidary Transition, ‘the current calculation method doesn’t reflect the costs of producing nuclear energy. In the future Energy and Climate law, I suggest we change this calculation method. It will be applied from 2020 and will adhere more closely to production costs,’ underscored François de Rugy.

For his part, Jean-Bernard Levy, on the day before the increase was applied, was calling for those involved to ‘consider lowering taxes on electricity, since it does not emit carbon dioxide.’ ‘I remind you that, when we pay an electricity bill, we’re paying more than one-third in taxes.’ It’s like paying VAT at a rate of 55%,’ explained the Chief Executive of EDF, while acknowledging that ‘in other countries, there are high taxes on electricity more or less everywhere’.

And this intervention provided the minister with the opportunity to press on a few sore spots: ‘We won’t improve EDF’s situation by rejecting our responsibilities on taxes,’ responded François de Rugy, adding:

  • ‘EDF is in debt because it can’t cover its production costs with its revenues’;
  • ‘Every year, the Court of Auditors condemns the fact that EDF’s employees only pay 10% of the typical price for their electricity.’

Even the Constitutional Council gave a contribution: although the end of the regulated gas price had been accepted, the Constitutional Council censored the articles of the PACTE law [Action Plan for Business Growth and Transformation] regarding this termination. This measure, considered to be a ‘legislative rider’, will naturally be reinstated, via an amendment in the energy and climate law.

Finally, the government lay down its own ARENH amendment (amendment no. CE357) on 14 June.

This amendment proposes that the cap for the ARENH ceiling be set at 150 TWh from 2020 (the ceiling is, strictly speaking, set by a decision within the limits of the cap for the ceiling set by the law).

But this amendment also stipulates opening up the possibility for the Government to modify the ARENH price by a decision in order to take into account the financial impact of the ceiling increase on EDF, by extending the validity of the dispensation upon the system’s implementation through Article L337-16. Of course, ‘the evolution of these parameters and its calendar will be put to discussion between the Government and the European Commission’…

therefore, the draft legislation presented to the Council of Ministers on 30 April last will eventually not be limited to:

In Article L. 100-4, section I, 5° of the Energy Code, the words: ‘reducing nuclear power’s share of electricity production to 50% by 2025’ are replaced by the words: ‘Reducing nuclear power’s share of electricity production to 50% by 2035′.

And the next law is already being prepared: while presenting its amendment, the government mentioned the preparation of a new regulation that will succeed the ARENH, and could even replace it before its established 2025 end date, with the aim of ‘guaranteeing that consumers are protected against rising market prices beyond 2025 by allowing them to enjoy the competitive advantage related to the investment made in the historic nuclear fleet, all while giving EDF the financial ability to ensure its production fleet’s economic sustainability, even in low-price scenarios.’

Stay tuned…

Philippe Boulanger

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Each month, one of our experts publishes an article describing his view on a specific topic of the constant changes taking place in the energy market, with special focus on the French market.

Profesional Experience & Education

Diego graduated in Political Economy at King’s College University (London – 2021). He started his professional career in a family business in Madrid as an operations manager. Diego then studied a Master in Management and Master in Computer Science at IE University (Madrid – 2022), during which he participated as an Information Technology (IT) intern in a startup. In May 2023, Diego joined the HES team as an intern specialised in programming models. In his first project, he developed a software tool for modelling the unavailability of the French nuclear fleet. Afterwards, Diego has also participated in the development of new software tools for modelling price curves, generation asset performance and other topics related to the energy market. 

Diego Marroquin

Junior Consultant

Haya Energy-6

Profesional Experience

Céline joined Haya Energy Solutions in November 2021 as marketing and administration manager. She had a first professional experience in the tourism sector as a social media manager. At HES, her activities are focused on the development of the company’s visibility at European level through: commercial actions, content marketing and development of brand strategy. Céline is also involved in the management of the company’s communication: optimisation of the website (WordPress & Elementor), LinkedIn, publication of the monthly newsletter and the organisation of conferences. Céline participates in energy projects with the clients and acts as coordinator and project manager. Finally, she is in charge of administration (accounting, expenses management, invoicing).   

Education

Céline graduated in Spanish and English Philology at La Sorbonne (France – 2018) and holds a Master’s degree in Project Management and Cultural Tourism (Clermont-Ferrand/ Buenos Aires – 2021). 

Céline Haya Sauvage

Marketing Responsible

Céline Sauvage

Investment Advice

“Decarbonization of the Energy and Transport sectors is arguably today’s main economic driver for the industry.”

Profesional Experience

His career started in civil engineering as a Project Manager in France, Martinique and Australia. Afterwards, he became the General Manager of a subsidiary in Venezuela. In 1992, he established Dalkia in Germany (district heating, cogeneration, and partnerships) and represented Véolia in Thailand. In 2000, he opened the commercial office of Endesa in France to take advantage of the liberalized retail market. From 2006, as a development Manager at Endesa France, he led Endesa’s plan for Combined Cycle generation in France and developed the wind and PV portfolio of Snet at the same time. Philippe Boulanger worked for 3 years at E.ON’s headquarters coordinating the company´s activities in France. He was strongly involved in the French hydro concession renewal project. As a Senior Vice President – Project Director at Solvay Energy Services from April 2012 to February 2014 he was in charge of the H2/Power to gas and European direct market access deployment projects. Philippe has been an HES expert since 2014.

Education

Philippe Boulanger holds engineering degrees both from the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole Nationale des Ponts & Chaussées (France) and has a combined experience of more than 25 years in energy and infrastructure. In addition to English, Mr. Boulanger is fluent in French, German & Spanish.

Philippe Boulanger

Electricity Expert

HES-Philippe-Boulanger

“The world is changing. New investors pay particular attention to the energy sector while historical actors adapt their position to the market.”

Profesional Experience

Antonio started his career in the electricity sector in 1991 working as a member of the General Manager’s team at Sevillana de Electricidad (Spain). In 1997, he was appointed head of commercial regulation at Endesa Distribución. In 2000, he joined the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) department of Endesa Europe. He was appointed Managing Director of Endesa Power Trading Ltd (UK) in 2003. A year later, he became responsible for energy management at SNET (France). In 2008, he was appointed Managing Director of SNET (France). In 2009, he became Director of Corporate Development at E.ON France. In 2011, he founded Haya Energy Solutions (HES), a consulting firm focused on optimising the energy management of consumers, producers and retailers of gas and electricity. From 2015 to 2018, Antonio combined the consulting activity at HES with the general management of 2 production facilities in France (2 CCGTs x 410MW), owned by KKR. At the end of 2018, he joined Asterion Industrial Partners, an infrastructure investment fund, as an operating partner. Antonio currently devotes most of his efforts to the Asterion Portfolio, while advising through HES companies in the energy sector in France, Italy, Germany, UK and Spain. 

Education

Antonio graduated from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros of Seville (Spain) and holds an MBA degree from Deusto University (Spain). 

Antonio Haya

CEO