Best Electricity Providers In Spain

Once you move to Spain, there will be a lot to do and arrange, and it can quickly get overwhelming. Finding an electricity provider might not be very high on your list of priorities, but once you have finalized your apartment, it is something worth looking into. In the first few weeks, as you adjust to your new life in Spain, it is better not to have to worry about such details. If the apartment you move into is already connected to the grid, you won’t have to worry immediately. However, while you may choose to stay with the existing provider, looking into alternatives is a good idea, especially if you can save some cost in the process. In case the place is not connected to electricity, this will become a more pressing concern, and one you will need to remedy right away.

This article will list down the primary electricity providers in Spain, while also helping you through the process of getting a connection with a different provider than your current one.

How Do I Choose An Electricity Provider In Spain?

Your research for electricity providers can begin even before you have actually moved to Spain! You can easily find information about the rates offered and the process of getting a new connection. Once you arrive in the country, you can straightaway begin applying for the connection.

The electricity access in Spain is split into two parts: the distribuidoras who look after the distribution of electricity, and the comercializadoras who sell electricity to the customers. As a homeowner or tenant, you will only need to deal with the comercializadoras or the electricity companies. Some of the more prominent names that dominate the market include Iberdrola, Gas Natural Fenosa and Grupo Endesa which supply nearly 50% of all electricity in Spain.

Since the deregulation of the Spanish electricity market in 1998, a number of other smaller suppliers have emerged. They have been able to make their place in the market by focusing more on the needs of the expat community. If you don’t speak Spanish, dealing with the smaller companies might be easier since many of them also have customer support in English. You can also skip the frustratingly long wait times and inconvenience of dealing with the larger suppliers. Of course, the full range of companies will not be available in certain areas away from the cities, in which case your options might be limited to the market giants only.

Suppose your new home or apartment does not have an electricity connection. In that case, you will need to contact your local distribution company (depending on where you live) to install the connection. If you have bought the property, you can even get help from your real estate agency to install the facilities. If your residence is already connected to the grid, just contact your local distributor for a list of suppliers. This will help you to determine the options available to you, so you can make the switch if you wish.

Electricity Providers In Spain

Here is a list of the big electricity supply companies in Spain:

  • Grupo Endesa
  • Gas Natural Fenosa
  • Iberdrola
  • EDP Hidrocantabrico Energia
  • Grupo Viesgo
  • Acciona
  • E.ON

Renewable Energy Providers In Spain

Climate change is a pressing problem that has been highlighted increasingly in recent years. Therefore, a lot of households are transitioning to environmentally friendly energy sources in a bid to reduce emissions (and their electricity bills too!). Many recent Spanish companies offer electricity generated through renewable sources like wind, water, geothermal etc. If you wish to make the switch as well, there are a number of companies you can choose from:

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Solar NRG

The company specializes in solar energy, and has been in the market for nearly 20 years. Their expertise can help you make the right decision about installing solar panels at your home. They also offer long term flexible payment plans of up to 120 months, which brings down the monthly payments.

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy

Siemens Gamesa has been in the wind energy sector for nearly 35 years. Moreover, they also have operations in 90 other countries, making it the largest photovoltaic company currently operating in Spain.

Alba Renova

Alba Renova is one of the pioneers of solar energy in Spain. They offer consultancy services, maintenance of systems and also specialize in the sale and purchase of solar panels and their installation mechanisms. 

Nexus Energia

The company has also been operating in the renewable energy sector for nearly 20 years. It offers human talent specializing in photovoltaic, wind, biomass, hydraulic and thermosolar energy.

Veolia

Veolia offers customers waste, water and energy management solutions promoting sustainable development. They also have a presence in five continents and have a wide array of experience to draw from in the areas of installation, technical maintenance and energy optimization.

3 Simple Steps To Change Your Electricity Provider In Spain

Compare Electricity Prices

You must consider the fixed and variable costs, both of which go into the electricity costs, before making your decision. You will be paying the fixed costs each month regardless of your usage. These include the power capacity i.e. the rate you are contracted for, the rental cost of the meter and maintenance if you want. The variable cost includes your household’s consumption and the electricity tax (calculated on your consumption and power capacity).

Choosing the right rate is also an exercise in itself. You can calculate your fixed rate depending on the electrical appliances in your home. Then you can choose from one of three types of fixed cost contracts: voluntary price for the small customer, which is suitable for smaller households with lesser consumption, a fixed price for 12 months or a bilateral contract with a distributor.

For the variable cost on your bill, you can choose from the more than 100 different tariff options available in Spain. You will have to do a little research to determine which works best for you depending on your usage, and the time when you use the most electricity. For instance you can choose a tariff with a different rate for weekdays than on the weekend, or one with seasonal charges so you can save money when the house is not occupied in a certain season.

If you don’t know your exact patterns of consumption, or want to break them down, you can do so here (https://electricityinspain.com/cost-of-electricity-in-spain/ ). This helps you calculate the estimated monthly cost of running each of the appliances at your home; hence, it can be used to estimate your monthly bill too.

Select A New Electricity Provider

The electricity company will need your name, identification number, contact details, address of the property and its electricity installation certificate, and your bank details for payment.

Generally, suppliers do not charge a switching fee, therefore shifting to a new electricity supplier is free of cost (unless your last supplier had a cancellation fee, in which case you will have to pay that before making the switch). Many companies also offer to analyze your current bill for free to calculate your cost savings if you shift to their brand.

Wait For Confirmation

Once you have submitted your documents, switching over to the new electricity supplier is an automatic process. Suppliers usually deal with the rest of the formalities themselves, and your supply will not be disrupted during the shift. You should expect the process to take anywhere from 2 to 20 days from the date that you signed up. The time taken to finalize the supplier will depend on your existing distributor. Once you have completed your application and submitted it to your new supplier, they will cancel your current contract straightaway. Therefore, before you initiate the process, make sure if there are any cancellation fees or conditions that you should be aware of.

How To Pay Your Electricity Bill In Spain?

You will have a number of options to pay your electricity bills in Spain. If you have already set up your Spanish bank account, the best option is to pay through direct debit. You will also have the option to go physically and pay the bills at the electricity company’s office, your local bank or the post office. In addition, you can get a smart meter installed at your apartment to get around the problem of estimated bills and paying more than the actual amount. A lot of households are shifting to smart metering.

How Much Does 1 kWh Cost In Spain?

Electricity costs in Spain have been consistently going up over the last few years, with current prices at an all-time high. Therefore, it is even more important that you compare the electricity companies supplying to your area and the rates that they offer. The present rate is 0.31 euros per kWh, which is an almost 90% increase in 12 months. The average household in Spain spends almost 1500 euros in a year on electricity bills.

Apart from the cost of electricity itself, there are also a number of other charges that you should expect to pay if you are getting a connection. On average, you should expect to pay the following:

  • Charge of connecting to the grid: 10 euros
  • Charges for access and extension
  • Inspection fee: 8 euros
  • Security deposit equal to the bill amount of using 50 hours of electricity
  • Purchasing the meter (you don’t usually have to pay for installation, but will need to purchase the actual meter)
Best Electricity Providers In Spain 2

Conclusion

Electricity in Spain is getting more expensive every day. But that doesn’t mean you cannot save some money each year. Since companies might not be very forthcoming about their deals themselves, you can make the most of the deals offered by conducting regular research to compare the rates of electricity suppliers in your area.