With energy prices continuing to rise in August, consumer rights organisations Testachats advises consumers not to rush into a fixed-term contract.
In Wallonia, these contracts cost on average 15% more than in July for electricity and 26% more for gas.
The organisation recommends that households who signed up to a fixed-term contract in March or earlier should keep it for the time being. They remain protected against price rises until the contract expires.
For consumers on a variable-rate contract, the impact of the rise in gas prices remains limited for the time being due to low summer consumption. The rise in electricity prices, on the other hand, is already beginning to be reflected in bills.
According to Testachats, switching to a fixed-term contract at present is not particularly advantageous, as rates are on average around the high levels seen in April. Consumers who nevertheless wish to protect themselves against further increases are advised to compare offers carefully.
The differences remain significant: for electricity, the annual difference between the cheapest and most expensive fixed-term contracts exceeds €300, and it rises to over €400 for gas.
In Wallonia, the average price of electricity now stands at 18.96 centimes per kWh, compared with 14.18 centimes in March. For gas, the average price has risen from 5.14 to 7.76 cents over the same period.
For an average household (3,500 kWh of electricity and 17,000 kWh of gas per year), this represents an additional cost of €612.
