On Thursday afternoon, MPs debated rising electricity prices, following a request by the Left Party (Déi Lénk).
The party emphasised that access to energy is a fundamental human right and called on the government to take stronger action to alleviate the financial burden on households.
The Left Party proposed that the state should assume greater control over electricity and energy distribution, with MP David Wagner stating the party is “clearly in favour of the state taking over electricity again and energy in general.” Wagner also advocated for increased state funding to cover grid costs, which would provide direct financial relief to consumers.
To address the issue, the Left Party submitted a motion urging the government to adopt these measures. The motion received support from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP), the Green Party (Déi Gréng), and the Pirate Party. A second motion proposed by the Left Party called for the introduction of a tiered pricing system based on social and ecological criteria.
In response, Minster of Energy Lex Delles acknowledged widespread concerns over high energy prices but stressed the government’s limited ability to intervene. He explained that electricity prices consist of three components: taxes, the cost of energy production, and grid costs.
Delles stated that taxes on electricity are already “as low as they can be,” while the cost of energy production is determined by market forces. He described the Left Party’s proposal as a shift toward a “planned economy,” which he argued would conflict with European regulations prohibiting unilateral state control over energy pricing. The third component, grid costs, falls under the jurisdiction of the Luxembourg Regulatory Institute (ILR).
Minister Delles also reiterated that the 2025 state budget still includes €170 million to partially cap energy prices.
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