By Tassilo Hummel and Sudip Kar-Gupta
PARIS – France’s power suppliers have agreed to offer small businesses struggling with price rises a guaranteed tariff of 280 euros ($298) on average per megawatt hour, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said.
“This is a guaranteed tariff and it is an enormous relief,“said Le Maire after a meeting on Friday with energy executives.
President Emmanuel Macron had on Thursday urged energysuppliers including EDF and TotalEnergies todo more to help customers cope with the surge in energy pricesthat has in recent months driven inflation to record highs.
Macron had said it was unacceptable that companies reapexcessive profits when many small businesses are struggling.
A large part of France’s small businesses, which accordingto the official definition include all firms with fewer than 10employees, are already protected by a 15% price increase cap forhousehold gas…