France's EDF stops cutting electricity supply for unpaid bills

PARIS (Reuters) - EDF said on Friday it would no longer cut off French retail customers' electricity supplies for unpaid bills, extending a winter truce introduced by the regulator amid rising energy costs.

The state-owned French company said that instead of cutting off supplies it would reduce power levels to a guaranteed minimum level. The measure will take effect on April 1.

During the winter truce, from Nov. 1 to March 31, electricity suppliers are not allowed to cut power supplies for unpaid bills.

"With this measure, EDF is going further than its regulatory obligations outside of the winter truce period," the company said in a statement.

France announced last month that lower-income households would receive 100 euros ($114) from the government to help mitigate the impact of rising energy prices, particularly those at the petrol pump.

President Emmanuel Macron, five months from a presidential election, is seeking to limit damage to his economic record from surging energy prices.

($1 = 0.8735 euros)

(Reporting by Matthieu Protard; Editing by Mark Potter)