2023-05-15 15:30:00
With the help of the consultant PwC, the Creg, the federal energy regulator, compared the gas and electricity bills of Belgians with those in force in Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom .
Let’s start with individuals. For this category, the comparison relates to the tariffs for February 2023. Due to the high volatility of gas and electricity prices, these results must therefore be taken with a grain of salt.
It may come as a surprise, but Belgians are pretty well off. Both for gas and electricity. As regards electricity (average consumption of 3,500 KWh), Belgium is the second cheapest country, just behind France. The reduction in VAT to 6% on electricity has lowered Belgian bills. In France, electricity prices are regulated by the State, which explains the ultra-competitive tariff (843 euros per year) applied to individuals.
Gas prices continue their descent, oil sluggish
Within Belgium, Flanders (1,340 euros per year) is the least expensive region, ahead of Brussels (1,383 euros) and Wallonia (1,427 euros). It is in the Netherlands (1,612 euros) that households pay the highest electricity bill.
In Belgium, contracts from Engie, Octa + and TotalEnergies served as a point of comparison with other countries.
cheap gas
As far as gas is concerned, Belgium is the least expensive country for individuals (average consumption of 23,260 KWh). Flanders (2,495 euros per year) is the most competitive region, ahead of Brussels (2,655 euros) and Wallonia (2,732 euros).
Our country is closely followed by France (2,766 euros), the United Kingdom (2,965 euros) and Germany (2,993 euros). The Netherlands, on the other hand, are much more expensive, with an average bill of… 4,344 euros. “Belgium’s good results are explained by lower network costs and a low VAT component”specifies the Creg.
What do you give PME?
Regarding the electricity bill of SMEs, Belgium is the second cheapest country. France has the most attractive rate, with a bill of 4,542 euros per year. The Netherlands, on the contrary, are the most expensive with a bill of… 16,643 euros, almost four times more expensive than in France. With an average bill of 11,036 euros per year, Wallonia is the most expensive region in Belgium. Unlike Flanders and Brussels, Wallonia is even a bit more expensive than the UK.
Natural gas cheaper in Belgium than in neighboring countries
As regards the gas bill of SMEs, the price differences between countries are less marked.
And the industry?
For the industry, everything depends on the consumption profile of the company concerned. Indeed, with the exception of the United Kingdom, all the countries studied grant advantages to so-called electro-intensive companies. However, Germany and France offer greater discounts than Belgium to its electro-intensive companies.
Consequently, Belgian electro-intensive companies generally have higher electricity bills than their competitors active in countries where discounts are higher. But, for non-electro-intensive companies, Belgium is in the middle of the countries studied.
As far as gas is concerned, Belgian industrialists generally have a bill similar to that in force in the countries studied.
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