Gas prices to rise (again) for millions in France this September
Around six million French households face higher gas bills in September as the Commission de régulation de l'énergie (CRE) raises its monthly reference price by 5.6% to €172.05 per megawatt-hour including VAT.
The increase will affect approximately 60% of residential gas subscribers whose contracts are indexed to the CRE's benchmark. Households with fixed-price contracts will not see their bills rise.
Why gas prices are climbing
The September increase reflects rising prices on wholesale gas markets, according to CRE. The regulator points to significant disruptions in global energy supply routes, particularly the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that began in late February 2026. The strait, which normally handles approximately one-fifth to one-quarter of the world's seaborne oil trade and nearly 20% of global liquefied natural gas shipments, has seen ship transits plummet by 97% since the conflict began, dropping from 129 vessels daily in February to just four by mid-March.
This disruption has sent shockwaves through energy markets. Between late February and early March 2026, crude oil prices jumped 27% while LNG prices surged 74%, according to EU data. France, which imports around 60% of its natural gas as LNG from suppliers including the United States, Algeria and Norway, has been directly exposed to these global market pressures.
The September rise continues a volatile trend throughout 2026. In July, CRE announced a 7.4% increase to €164.21/MWh, before a slight 0.8% drop in August to approximately €162.89/MWh. The regulator now calculates the September reference at €122.16/MWh before VAT.
Understanding the reference price system
The CRE reference price serves as a monthly benchmark to help consumers compare supplier offers in France's liberalized gas market. The system was introduced in mid-2023 following the abolition of regulated gas tariffs on June 30, 2023. Those tariffs had been ruled contrary to European law by France's Council of State in 2017, with a 2019 climate law mandating their discontinuation.
When regulated tariffs ended in June 2023, approximately 2.31 million households remained on the old system while 8.2 million had already switched to market contracts. Today, 14 active gas suppliers compete in the French market.
While CRE's reference price provides guidance, suppliers remain free to set their own rates. This means the actual amount households pay can vary depending on their contract and provider, giving consumers options to shop around for better deals even as wholesale prices fluctuate.
