Wednesday, 05 June 2013 17:07
Posted by Muhammad Iqbal
PARIS: France's energy minister said on Wednesday it was out of the question to apply a sharp rise in power tariffs this summer recommended by the country's energy regulator to help utility EDF cover its production costs.The country's energy regulator CRE said earlier on Wednesday that electricity tariffs for households should rise between 6.8 percent and 9.6 percent this summer to cover the mainly state-owned, former monopoly's costs.The government tends not to follow the regulator's recommendations on tariffs, seeking to subdue politically sensitive rises in prices for consumers at a time France struggles with record-high unemployment.It did not rule out any increase in power bills however, and is likely to apply part of the rise recommended, after it criticised the previous government for meddling in regulated energy tariffs."It is out of the question to accept such a cumulated rise in power prices," Energy Minister Delphine Batho told reporters after the ...