Why Off-Peak Hours Are Shifting
The intention behind this shake-up is clear: adapt off-peak periods to reflect actual electricity production—especially solar—and ensure the grid runs as smoothly as possible. As Nicolas Deloge, Networks Director at France’s Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), explained to Le Figaro:
“Changes in consumption habits, such as remote working or scheduled usage, along with the rapid development of photovoltaic production, are transforming how the network is used and when it makes sense to consume electricity.”
So, it’s less about spring cleaning your energy habits and more about aligning with France’s growing solar power resources.
What’s Changing? The New Off-Peak Setup
The daily eight hours of off-peak electricity remain—but not in the same shape. A chunk of these discounted hours will now fall between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., especially in summer months. Every user, regardless of their usual pattern, will still have at least five consecutive nighttime hours at reduced rates. You’re not about to lose your cheaper midnight laundry sessions just yet!
- If you already have daytime off-peak hours, you’ll keep at least 2 (and up to 3) of those daytime hours—so there’s still a window to run that dishwasher on the cheap before dinner.
- This dual period is designed to take advantage of solar energy peaks, which are particularly strong around midday.
This isn’t a small tweak: for some, it will mean a complete overhaul of their daily appliance schedule, while others might barely notice. But one thing’s certain: a little adjustment will be needed to keep benefiting from those reduced electricity costs.
How Will This Roll Out—and What Should You Watch For?
Don’t panic: the shift won’t happen overnight. Changes to off-peak hours will take place gradually between November 2025 and the end of 2027.
- Every customer will get a personalized notification from their supplier—by mail or email. So now’s probably not the time to ignore your inbox (or your spam folder for that matter).
As Nicolas Deloge reminds us:
“Each customer will be informed by their supplier at the right time. But your supplier must let you know at least a month before the effective date of the change.”
And here’s a quirky French detail: the new off-peak slots will be set based on local criteria. So, your hours might not be the same as your next-door neighbor’s! This depends on the technical constraints of the public grid in your area. You can’t choose your new schedule, and there’ll be no possibility to change it once it’s set. If you don’t like your allotted slot, your only option is to switch tariff type (to ‘base’ or ‘Tempo’, for example).
How to Adapt: What Needs to Change at Home?
You’ll need to reprogram manual appliances like washing machines or dishwashers—the new schedule won’t set itself. However, water heaters and devices directly connected to a Linky smart meter will adjust automatically, which is one less headache.
For electric vehicle drivers, the remaining nighttime off-peak window will generally be more than enough for daily charging needs. As Nicolas Deloge emphasizes:
“Apart from the daytime off-peak hours, you will still have at least five off-peak nighttime hours, which is enough to recharge your vehicle for your daily commutes.”
Thanks to this change, many households will now enjoy “off-peak hours at two moments during the day,” making energy use more flexible—and, potentially, more budget-friendly.
