Experts said the cap could reach £4,467 in January, which is likely to be a more worrying figure for families as they use the most energy in winter. In such a scenario, the average household would pay £571 for energy in January. Auxilione warned that the limit was likely to remain above £4,000 next year.
Auxilione said little can be done to directly reduce prices.
Its analysts wrote: “There seems to be a lack of understanding of how impossible this task is and that energy companies and government have little control over it in such a globally influenced market.”
In France, the government forced EDF to sell electricity generated by its ailing fleet of nuclear reactors to competing suppliers at well below market prices so it could keep prices low for consumers. Mr Macron has also launched plans to nationalize EDF so he can have more control over the company’s plans for consumer prices.
The French state is ready to pay up to 10 billion euros to buy the 16% stake in EDF that it does not yet own.
EDF is currently suing the government for €8.3bn (£7bn) over losses incurred as a result of price controls.
Stephen Thomas, emeritus professor of energy policy at the University of Greenwich, said: “The government owns EDF and has said it will buy the rest, so I guess they can do whatever they want, although they will have to pay for it.”
An EDF spokesman said the company could not confirm the exact annual bill for customers on its regulated tariff, but that price rises would be limited to €38 this year.
She said: “It will change depending on the individual. It depends on each customer, the size of the house, the size of the family and other things. The pricing structures are different to the UK.”
EDF has been rocked by the closure of a large number of nuclear power plants in recent months.
The company has shut down about half of its nuclear fleet to repair corroded equipment at the plants and has repeatedly cut its output forecasts because of the problems.
Professor Thomas said EDF would be “scanning the continent for energy” over the winter if its power stations were unable to reopen.
He said: “If they have a significant proportion of their reactors off the grid in the winter, they will import gas generation from anywhere and anyone who can provide it.
“It will be produced with gas, so it will be terribly expensive. When winter comes on a cold day, they will scour the continent for power.”
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