Spanish electricity a THIRD MORE than in the UK!

8 Replies to “Spanish electricity a THIRD MORE than in the UK!”

1. Yes, I read the full article ….have you been taking lessons from the Daily Mail … pick the data that fits your prejudice!

   What didn’t suprise me is that spanish prices are near the average for Europe.

   However there are many caveats to this data, not least the spanish system of potencia which means standing charges for some non-residents can be €25 a month with no use.

   So I would want more information on the calculation
   Also the comparison is not based on exchange rates by purchasing power parity and I would like to know how that was calculated.

   I saw a recent article which put spanish & british electricity prices at about the same level.

   The only conclusions I might draw are that German energy policy is barmy, a large nuclear power element tends to lead to lower prices, and the power of the press to influence politicians to take irrational decisions remains.

   Have you read the recent nonsense on gm crops for example.

2. The fact of the matter is that Spanish process are heavily biased against the domestic user, as there are a couple of basic tariffs ( potencia for example) which substantially increase the base cost. Take your electric bill, divide the total amount by the units actually used and you’ll probably find you’re paying even more than the BBC quote. So why the daily mail comment? 🙁

3. The Daily Mail Comment may have been a bit of peak – my point is that taking selective data without a full understanding of the detail is something that annoys me. Papers such as the mail are adept at being very selective.

   My reading if the BBC report was that Spain’s electricity costs are not out of line. And having recently read an article in the Economist that put Spain & British costs much on a par I was sceptical of the BBCs report.

   My average cost over the last 12 months is €1,39 per kwh, nearly double what it was 10 years ago. This figure bears no relationship to the figures quoted in the BBC report. I am even more sceptical of the BBC report!

4. €1,39 a kw/h? You’re missing a decimal point somewhere!!!

   I’ve never managed to work out an Endesa bill properly, since they seem to be unable to bill me for a single month. (My last bill was for 6 months…)
   The trouble with Spanish elec bills, as I said before, is that the fixed connection charges are so high. For example, it costs me on my tariff about €0.48 a day fixed cost to be connected to the network (the potencia). Furthermore, the fixed electric tax is amount billed (so that’s power used + potencia) at a fixed rate of *1.05113*4.864%.
   And the actual price per kw/h is a combination of your potencia rating * your actual consumption. Which means that as you drop or raise your consumption, your cost per kw/h actually changes to stop it dropping too much.
   For example, on this 6 month bill (it’s the only one I’ve got here), I’ve been charged a whopping €556.79. Of that, from what I can see, only €189.74 is actually the amount of energy I’ve used… the rest is taxes and fixed costs.
   So it doesn’t matter too much whether you use 4 or 6 or 8 kw/h a day, the savings you make don’t affect the total too much until you start drawing some serious power from the network.

   So the BBC study seems to have drawn its comparison from people using less electricity than I do – they pay a correspondingly higher rate per kw/h than I do, because of the fixed costs.

   Which leads us back to this post I put up a couple of weeks ago about the best way to save on your electric bill is to drop your potencia rating, if you can afford to live with less juice.

   I’ve no idea what electricity costs in the UK. All I know is that Spain is facing a serious tariff deficit and wants to put up the taxes again to cover it. And then the IU wants to add another tax so that the unemployed can power their (free from the state on tax payers money) laptops… for free. 🙁

5. By the way, the original BBC story comes from “energy think tank” Vaasett : http://www.vaasaett.com/. They’re EU funded to run comparative studies across the EU to examine the energy market in each country

6. Thanks – hoist by my own petard – a classic spread sheet error. Check the basis of data!!!!!!

   I now come up with €0,23 ! almost in line.

   As to the complexity ….
   I have 2 bills –

   potencia 10,52 – €72,74, € 0,157per kwh for usage,
   potencia 4,4 – €27,51, €0,132 per kwh
   taxes have the same base calculation
   but hire of the limiter is different for the same piece of kit! The lower potencia having the higher charge.

   Then there is IVA.

   UK comment on energy bills suggest that clear and understandable bills are not in the interest of power companies. I wonder what French and German bills are like.

   As for the IU proposal … I thought Susan was the new hope of PSOE .. can she sit on her coalition partners… or is she another Obama – talks the talk but doesn’t walk the walk

7. Susan is a “safe pair of hands”. Don’t expect her to do anything different from her old paymasters Griñán and Chaves!
   The PSOE is hoping to do the same to the IU as they did to the PA – enter into coalition, and absorb the voters, spitting out the dry husk of what’s left. (or Left, if you’ll pardon the pun!)

   James – should be, but won’t be!

8. Firstly, we need to face facts.

   1) Electricty is generally more expensive in Spain then the UK or many other EU countries.

   This is mainly due to the fact despite having such a great sunny climate they do not exploit it properly. Electricity companies have to put a A to G Eco friendly or Green rating on every bill. This was “F” for Endesa and many other companies are not much better. I did find Energy Nordic who supply only 100% Renewable electricty in Spain. Not only that but it worked out about 20% cheaper than Endesa.

   The other point is the “Potencia Contratada” or Contracted Power which is the maximum power you can draw at any time before it “trips out” should be set to no more than you need but no less than you need too.

   You can work this out by adding up the power drawn by big ticket items like Immersion Heater, a/c, Washing Machine, Oven and Fridge etc.

   I was paying a higher standing charge because it was 5.2Kw. I only need 3.4Kw. Reducing this reduces the fixed charge you pay every bill.

   Then there are split nightime/daytime tariffs. Be aware if they ofer you cheaper overnight electricity they will at the same time be inflating the daytime rate! So you could end up paying more overall.

   I would advise you all to scan a full copy of your bill, send it to each provider and see what they offer you.

   There is another factor. There are 2 completely different “markets” on which the companies buy electricity. The market used to buy your electricity will be shown on your bill. On Endesa bills this is top left hand side under the “Luz” logo. It will say either:-

   1) Endesa S.A. Energia Unipersonal (free market) or

   2) Endesa Energia EEXXI SLU (regulated market).

   The top one is where you pay the rate depending on the prevailing daily rate. The Regulated Market rate is prepaid and the rate you are paying is that bid by the company which may be higher or lower than the actual rate.

   You have a right to swicth between these markets free of charge and back again. Use it.

   This should be carefully considered by anyone living or thinking of living in Spain. Spain is a wonderful country and living there more than compensates for the higher electricty bills but by understanding and switching companies you can mitigate this expense. Be proactive find the best deal and change. You can always change back.

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