Can you still refuse a Linky meter? What the EU ruling means

The 2019 EU electricity directive pushes smart meters hard and gives consumers the right to ask for one. It doesn't give them the right to keep a classic model in all circumstances.

Does the ruling change anything for Linky in France?

Not much. French energy law already hands meter installation and replacement to the network operators, and the national energy ombudsman says customers can't object to a replacement. France's Court of Cassation sided with Enedis against two reluctant customers in April 2025. What opponents lose is one argument: a right supposedly guaranteed by EU law. Enedis says it has installed 38.7 million Linky meters, more than 95% of the homes it serves.

In practice, refusal is still possible when the meter is inside the home, since the technician can't enter without the occupant's consent. But it costs money. Since 1 August 2026, households without a Linky by their own choice pay 6.68 euros before VAT every two months, or 40.08 euros a year, even if they send in readings. If no meter reading has been supplied for over a year, another 4.27 euros every two months applies. That brings the bill to 65.70 euros a year before VAT, close to 80 euros with it. The charges pause once you book an installation appointment, until the meter is fitted.

Is your consumption data protected?

The court also tackled the privacy argument. It ruled that the ePrivacy directive, the one that covers cookies, doesn't apply to a power grid, which mainly distributes energy rather than providing communication services. Consumption data is still covered by the GDPR, whose requirements "must necessarily be respected".

In France, the data protection authority CNIL already oversees this. By default, Enedis only collects daily consumption. Hourly or half-hourly readings, which can reveal when you get up, go to bed or are away, need your consent, apart from occasional network needs. Sharing them with a supplier or third party also needs your consent, and you can switch collection on or off at any time from your Enedis customer account.