Unprecedented rise in customer complaints at EDF in 2023

In 2023, EDF faced a 37% rise in customer complaints, marking a record year for the group's mediation service, against a backdrop of rising energy prices.
EDF réclamations 2023

Partagez:

Olivier Fontanié,EDF‘s mediator, reports that 2023 saw an unprecedented number of complaints since the mediation was created 25 years ago, with 7,470 referrals recorded. This surge in complaints is taking place against a tense economic backdrop, exacerbated by price hikes in the energy sector. The rise in claims was exceptionally strong among professionals and businesses, while consumers saw a more moderate increase of 24%.

Causes and customer dissatisfaction

Disputes were mainly linked to rising energy tariffs and financial difficulties, despite the protective measures put in place by the public authorities, such as the tariff shield. The expiry of this tariff shield and its initial implementation have sometimes been a source of confusion for customers, contributing to increases in claims.

Specific problems encountered by customers

In the case of private customers, the main complaints were linked to drastic increases in gas prices following the expiry of fixed-price contracts. Companies have found it difficult to reach an advisor, get satisfactory responses to their complaints or honor contracts signed in 2022, at the peak of market prices.

Mediation effectiveness and resolutions

Complaints were handled with an average of 64 days to reach a resolution, and 84% of cases resulted in an amicable agreement between EDF and its customers.

The claims crisis at EDF reflects the heightened tensions in the energy sector. EDF’s complaints management and mediation efforts highlight the ongoing challenges the supplier faces in a changing energy market.

According to the 2025 report on global energy access, despite notable progress in renewable energy, insufficient targeted financing continues to hinder electricity and clean cooking access, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
While advanced economies maintain global energy leadership, China and the United States have significantly progressed in the security and sustainability of their energy systems, according to the World Economic Forum's annual report.
On the sidelines of the US–Africa summit in Luanda, Algiers and Luanda consolidate their energy collaboration to better exploit their oil, gas, and mining potential, targeting a common strategy in regional and international markets.
The UK's Climate Change Committee is urging the government to quickly reduce electricity costs to facilitate the adoption of heat pumps and electric vehicles, judged too slow to achieve the set climate targets.
The European Commission will extend until the end of 2030 an expanded state-aid framework, allowing capitals to fund low-carbon technologies and nuclear power to preserve competitiveness against China and the United States.
Japan's grid operator forecasts an energy shortfall of up to 89 GW by 2050 due to rising demand from semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence technologies.
Energy-intensive European industries will be eligible for temporary state aid to mitigate high electricity prices, according to a new regulatory framework proposed by the European Commission under the "Clean Industrial Deal."
Mauritius seeks international investors to swiftly build a floating power plant of around 100 MW, aiming to secure the national energy supply by January 2026 and address current production shortfalls.
Madrid announces immediate energy storage measures while Lisbon secures its electrical grid, responding to the historic outage that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula in late April.
Indonesia has unveiled its new national energy plan, projecting an increase of 69.5 GW in electricity capacity over ten years, largely funded by independent producers, to address rapidly rising domestic demand.
French Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher condemns the parliamentary moratorium on new renewable energy installations, warning of the potential loss of 150,000 industrial jobs and increased energy dependence on foreign countries.
The European battery regulation, fully effective from August 18, significantly alters industrial requirements related to electric cars and bicycles, imposing strict rules on recycling, supply chains, and transparency for companies.
The European Parliament calls on the Commission to strengthen energy infrastructure and accelerate the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal to enhance the continent's energy flexibility and security amid increased market volatility.
The European Commission unveils an ambitious plan to modernize electricity grids and introduces the Clean Industrial Deal, mobilizing hundreds of billions of euros to strengthen the continent's industrial and energy autonomy.
In the United States, regulated electric grid operators hold a decisive advantage in connecting new data centres to the grid, now representing 134 GW of projects, according to a Wood Mackenzie report published on June 19.
The French National Assembly approves a specific target of 200 TWh renewable electricity production by 2030 within a legislative text extensively debated about the future national energy mix.
In 2024, US CO₂ emissions remain stable at 5.1bn tonnes, as the Trump administration prepares hydrocarbon-friendly energy policies, raising questions about the future evolution of the American market.
The early publication of France's energy decree triggers strong parliamentary reactions, as the government aims to rapidly secure investments in nuclear and other energy sectors.
Seven weeks after the major Iberian power outage, Spain identifies technical network failures, while the European Investment Bank approves major funding to strengthen the interconnection with France.
The European Union has announced a detailed schedule aiming to definitively halt Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, anticipating internal legal and commercial challenges to overcome.