Electricity

[Angelite]

We've just received our Facture Contrat from EDF, and apparently we are on heures creuses.

One section "Autres Prestations" says :  "Forfait acces electricite part."     Montant HT = E20.

I have tried a couple of translation engines, but with no success.

Is it the charge for being on heures creuses?  And if so, will that be E20 per month or per year? 

Thanks

 

[Cat]

You might find the answer here

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1175622/ShowPost.aspx

[Clair]

The tariff for Heures creuses is HERE.

If this is your first electricity bill, the €20 refers to a one-off set up fee.

On the back of your bill, it shows when the cheap tariff is applicable. See here, click on V on the right, then on 16.

[Angelite]

Thank you, Clair and Cat - the thread was most useful.  I have a cousin who used to teach French in school, but even she can't understand some of the words on the forms etc!

 

[AnOther]

Heures creuses is only really worthwhile if you make good use of the off peak hours otherwise you're better off on flat rate.

Something else to think about, if you speak to the Pompiers they will tell you that a large number of their call outs are to fires caused by washing machines and tumble driers running unattended in the night.

Not trying to frighten you, just make you aware [:)]

[KathyC]

[quote user="ErnieY"]Heures creuses is only really worthwhile if you make good use of the off peak hours otherwise you're better off on flat rate.

Something else to think about, if you speak to the Pompiers they will tell you that a large number of their call outs are to fires caused by washing machines and tumble driers running unattended in the night.

Not trying to frighten you, just make you aware [:)]

[/quote]

 

Surely they can be just as unattended in the day?

Personally, I find heures creuses a godsend for using air conditioning at night in the summer and having a little heat on in the bedroom in the winter. (Husband with respiratory problems) It also makes heating water very reasonable if you do that by electricity.

[AnOther]

Far better chance of catching it during the day when you're there though.

So called 'white goods' such as washing machines, tumble driers, dishwashers etc. are all high power consumption devices and do intrinsically present an elevated risk. In UK at least government advice is to not allow them to run unattended at all, never mind at night, but whatever do to ensure that you have a smoke alarm in the vicinity.

Horses for courses though and I did say said 'if you make good use of off peak hours', which it seems in your particular case you do, however I make no apologies for bring the subject up if it raises awareness.

Stay safe [;-)]

[NormanH]

Off- Peak hours include 12-2 so I do my washing and top-up water heating then.

 

[AnOther]

Sensible man.

EDF have a simple calculator for working out which tariff is most efficient for your own circumstances.

[Punch]

Yes it's quite true that enough use has to be made of the off peak hours to offset the higher standing charge levied for the HC abonnement. This can be easily recouped by the use of a water heater and a washing machine and or dishwasher on a 9KW abonnement that are used in off peak hours. These hours, as has been mentioned are usually at night, but some ( like mine) are 6 hours at night and 2 hours between midday and 2pm which is very useful.

However, I have never heard my local Pompiers, or any one else for that matter mentioning high proportion of callouts at night due to washing machine/dishwasher usage. My local pompier and friend says that more fires in France are caused by faulty un-lined flues from badly installed woodburners and that electrically caused fires these days are relatively rare. I think that the statistics from the fire service show this. So how many people put their stoves and inserts out before they retire to bed ?

  In fact if you think about it logically, most people would be in during machine usage at night, and possibly more likely to discover a fault/fire if (like most sensible people) they have smoke detectors fitted in their homes . I am sure many people put their washing machines on and then go shopping/ do some gardening/ go for coffee at the neighbours etc, which is probably more of a risk.

 However the risk is still there no matter what the appliance is that is on at night and most French homes with modern decent wiring and circuitry are resonably well protected by the overcurrent and earth fault equipment that is installed, but of this does not mean everthing is 100% safe. This brings me on to say that it would be unadvisable to leave appliances on unattended for long periods unless you had up to date wiring, and do not in any situation have washing machines and similar appliances plugged into wall adaptors or extension leads, only directly plugged into proper fixed 2 pole and earthed 16 amp NF approved socket outlets.

Safety first ![:D]

www.punchardrenovation.com