Gas sales benchmark price down 4.8% from 1 June

The benchmark gas sales price is composed of three parts:

• the supply, which includes the supply costs and costs associated with that natural gas supply activity;
• routing, i.e. network and storage tariffs;
• taxes (VAT, excise duty on natural gas and transmission tariff contribution - CTA), decided by the State.

As stated by the Energy Regulatory Commission on 11 May 2026, the supply share will change to 1^er June 2026. This is a consequence of a drop in gas prices in April, after a significant increase in March due to the start of the war in Iran. Thus, the benchmark price for gas sales drop to 1^er June on average of 4.8% INCL. VAT, which will bring it to €152.86/MWh including VAT (against €160.54/MWh including VAT in 1^er May).

The CRE assesses that this will result in a reduction of €1.26 including tax on average on invoices of June. This decrease concerns consumers whose offers are indexed to the gas sales benchmark price. Households that have subscribed to a fixed-price offer are therefore not affected by this development.

What is the benchmark price?

The CRE's monthly natural gas sales benchmark price provides consumers with information in the context of the end of the regulated gas sales tariff (RGST).

It is variable and published for information purposes and represents an average estimate of the costs incurred by suppliers for the supply of natural gas to a residential customer.

For consumers, it serves as a compass to compare offers, giving them an idea of the price at which regulated tariffs would have been maintained. The CRE states that suppliers now freely build their offers according to the supply conditions (energy costs on the wholesale market), their commercial choices and the contractual conditions they offer. However, some of the marketed offers are indexed to the gas sales benchmark price.