IMPORTANT: It is very important to understand which company you are contracted with, as penalty charges are now being applied to certain tariffs/contracts. Check the very small print on your last bill from Endesa. There are now two independant billing companies within the Endesa group of companies, they are:

Endesa Energía XXI SL – this company took control of billing from the old supply company Sevillana Endesa after deregulation on 1st July 2009. All tariffs from this provider are regulated by the government, the ‘Producto’ code on your bill will read TUR (’Tarifa de Último Recurso’).

Endesa Energía SAU – the new ‘free market’ billing company, setup 1st July 2009. Originally only interested in supplying consumers contracted at 10KW or more, they are now offering discounts to consumers contracted at 3KW or more.

Click here to read how this may affect you!

For contracts with ‘potencia contratada’ between 3KW’s and 10KW’s, the monthly standing charge and unit charge are billed the same by the two Endesa companies, see tariff Ahorro Directo (2.0A) or my previous article New Conditions to the ‘TUR’ Tariff – July 2011.

However since April 2010 Endesa Energía XXI are adding a 20% penality (shown as ‘recargo’ on the bill), on most contracts in excess of 10KW, to encourage consumers to re-contract with Endesa Energía SAU or another supplier within the free market.

Endesa have threatened disconnection before, to consumers contracted at 10KW or more, see my previous article Are you at risk of being ‘cut-off’ back in October 2010. Whether Endesa carry out their latest threat remains to be seen, but I strongly suggest you check your situation and make plans accordingly.

Alternatively leave a note for ‘Los Tres Reyes Magos’ (3 Wise Men) to bring some candles on the 5th January!!

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your contract please contact me, details on my Home page. I do offer consultancy via email for a small donation, which can include contract negotiation with Endesa.

31 October 2011

Working alongside Endesa and their sub-contractors as I do, I have known for some time that the new Smart meters are being pilot tested in Málaga and Marbella, however Endesa are now installing Smart meters on ALL new (or upgraded) single-phase supplies in Alhaurín el Grande, Coín and surrounding area.

The Smart meters use ‘telemetry’ technology to send data on electricity consumption back to the supplier via the electricity supply network. The data is collected at the local substation and sent from there via the internet to the billing company. Once you have a Smart Meter installed, Endesa (Cobra) will no longer go out to read your meter. The main advantage to you, the consumer, is no more estimated readings every other month!

What people do not seem to be aware of, is that these new meters also incorporate the functionality of the Interruptor de Control de Potencia (ICP). Once your Smart meter is installed, if you exceed your ‘potencia contratada’ (i.e. energy rating of your contract in Kilowatts) the supply will be disconnected at the meter. The supply can only be reconnected by following a simple procedure at the main fuse box.

No problem then?

Click here to find out

Wrong! Potentially the installation of a Smart meter poses a huge problem for many consumers, including some of those with no ICP fitted and particularly those with a contracted ‘potencia’ of less than 5,75KW:

Historically, Endesa and the other electricity providers did not always fit ICP’s. This meant consumers could draw more power through their supplies than the ‘potencia’ contracted. The consumer is therefore unaware that their electricity contract is insufficient for the number of electrical appliances connected. That is, until your new Smart meter is installed, when you are likely to experience regular power outages.

Many consumers have had their ICP’s removed in order to prevent nuisance tripping due to overloading of the supply. The removal of the ICP is not only illegal but also potentially dangerous and is something I DO NOT do despite numerous requests in the past! Your only option is to upgrade your electricity contract before your Smart meter is installed.

This problem is made much worse for those consumers who have inherited an old electricity contract from a previous owner. I have seen hundreds of electricity bills from different customers, some of which have a ‘potencia contratada’ as low as 1,1KW.

WARNING to all consumers: Check your latest electricity bill and confirm that your ‘potencia’ is sufficient to support all the electrical appliances in your home. Check my Guide to Determine Energy Rating of your electricity contract.

If it is not, then contact me to arrange an inspection, audit and load-test of your installation, and if necessary I can prepare a quote to upgrade your supply and provide a new boletín in order to upgrade your potencia before your new Smart meter is installed!

Contact me via email (see home page) or telephone +(34) 659 862 691.

Endesa will write to you to advise when your meter will be changed. Be warned, if you do not receive electricity bills then you will not receive this notification either!

17 October 2011

The new conditions to the ‘TUR’ tariff (Tarifa de Último Recurso) as controlled by the Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio were published in an Official State Bulletin dated 30th June 2011.

The ’standing’ charge itemised on your bill as ‘Potenia’ and billed per day is currently set at 1,719427€/KW/month, which calculates to 0,056529€/KW/day.

The unit charges in €/KWh have increased as shown below, this is itemised on your bill as ‘Consumo’ or ‘Fact. consumo lecturas reales’:

‘Tarifa DH’ (Discriminación Horaria) is the Off-Peak tariff

This price increase will affect everyone on the TUR tariff, regardless of your contracted electricity provider.

If you have recontracted within the new ‘free market’ then please contact your supplier to find out if this price increase affects you.

Read on to see just how much more you are paying for your electricity compared to 5 and 10 years ago! You may be amazed, you may be angered!!

For your information the cost of a ’standard’ unit of electricity on 1st July 2006 was increased to 0,08742€/KWh, and on 1st July 2001 the cost was just 0,079254€/KWh or in ‘old money’ that was 13,18 Pesetas per KWh!

From my calculations the current cost of a ’standard’ unit of electricity, one Kilowatt Hour, is 62,8% more than it was 5 years ago, and a staggering 79,6% higher than it was 10 years ago!

Add to that your ’standing’ charge, electricity tax and IVA (VAT) you can see for yourself that we are ALL paying far too much for our electricity!

Please try and keep cool and enjoy the rest of the summer!

6th August 2011

If you are not already aware the cost of electricity went up again in Spain, just as we entered in 2011!

The new conditions to the ‘TUR’ tariff (Tarifa de Último Recurso) as controlled by the Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio were published in an Official State Bulletin dated 29th December 2010.

The ’standing’ or monthly charge has not been increased, this is itemised on your bill as ‘Potenia’.

The unit charges in €/KWh have increased as shown below, this is itemised on your bill as ‘Consumo’ or ‘Fact. consumo lecturas reales’:

‘Discriminación Horaria’ is the Off-Peak tariff

This price increase will affect everyone on the TUR tariff, regardless of your contracted electricity provider. If you have recontracted within the new ‘free market’ then please contact your supplier to find out if this price increase affects you. Not all ‘free market’ providers will pass on this Government announced price increase, so it may be a Happier New Year for you!

4th January 2011

Endesa (and all other electricity providers) are currently writing to all consumers for whom they have no record of an ICP ever being fitted. Failure to repsond to the initial letter (recorded delivery!) results in a second letter giving 20 days to respond before penalties are applied! See my earlier post Letter from Endesa Re: ICP for more information.

For many consumers, especially those who were very badly advised at time of property purchase to simply ‘inherit’ the electricity contract from the previous owner’s grandfather(!?), these people now require major works to upgrade their electricity supply.

Q. Why you ask?

Read on to find out …

Well, if your contract is old it is unlikely that your ‘potencia contratada’ (energy rating in KW’s) is sufficient to support all the electrical appliances in your home. Therefore simply fitting the ICP as instructed by Endesa will cause a lot of inconvenience, as it will trip OFF at frequent intervals. In order to upgrade your potencia, odds on, Endesa will require a new Boletín, hence the requirement for works to upgrade your electricity supply.

On top of these problems, consumer watchdog FACUA is investigating cases where consumers are already paying penalties for not having an ICP installed, while awaiting installation of an ICP by their supply company! FACUA also question the requiremnt for an ICP as all the electricity providers in Spain are embarking on a rolling programme to replace all electricity meters by 2018 with digital meters with in-built power limiters. See the Costa Del Sol News for their recent Trip Switch Outrage headline!

For the Spanish speaking amongst you, see the FACUA website for more information.

8 September 2010

Following the introduction of the ‘free market’ in July 2009, consumers with contracts rated at 10KW or more, who have not changed supplier, have been paying very heavy penalties in an attempt by the Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio to ‘persuade’ you to re-contract within the new free market. The initial penalty (’recargo’) of 5% was introduced in July 2009, with further 5% surcharges introduced in October 2009, January 2010 and April 2010. In affect, you are now paying 20% more for your monthly standing charge and every unit (KWh) of electricity used!

For most consumers in Andalucía, previously contracted with Sevillana Endesa, your bills are currently produced by Endesa Energia XXI (check the very small print at the bottom of your bill). This new company was set-up solely to take over billing for consumers who did not re-contract within the free market.

If you do not change supplier before October 2010, you risk being disconnected, yes you could be CUT OFF, it is written in law (Real Descreto 485/2009).

Q. So what do you do now?

You can make contact with your nearest Endesa office (’Punto de Servicio’) and ask to re-contract with Endesa Energía S.A. in the ‘mercado libre’ (free market). You will need to take with you, your latest bill and a copy of your NIE. You may also be asked for proof of ownership of property; the first 6 pages of your ‘escritura’ (title deeds) will suffice. In order to re-contract, your electrical installation must have a ‘boletín en vigor’, in other words a valid boletín issued since 1990.

Alternatively make contact with one of the other free market providers in Andalucía (referred to as ‘Comercializadoras del Mercado Libre’), from the following list:

Céntrica Energía S.L.U.
Factor Energía S.A.
Gesternova S.A.
Nexus Energía S.A.

Q. What if your installation is very old?

Be prepared to spend some serious money upgrading your supply! Work required may include replacing the electricity meter enclosure, fitting an approved steel door, new supply cables, plus a partial upgrade or complete replacement of your consumer unit (fuse box). This work is required to ensure your ‘installation’ is compliant with current wiring regulations; only then can it be formally ’signed off’ with a new boletín. All this work is at the expense of the consumer, i.e. YOU!

Q. Is there a ‘quick fix’?

Yes, the simple solution for many would be to review your electricity usage and consider downgrading your potencia contratada to below 10KW and remain contracted on the ‘TUR’ tariff with Endesa Energía XXI. For single-phase consumers you can contract at 9,2KW (40A ICP) or 3-phase customers can drop to 6,928KW (10A ICP – provides only 2,3KW at 230V so be warned, read my previous post Warning to 3-Phase Consumers!!)

Obviously, if you live in my ‘catchment area’, (see top of my home page), then I can offer assistance; a consultation at your home, dealing with Endesa and providing a quote for remedial works. Please be aware I have spent most of 2010 upgrading supplies, I have several more jobs scheduled and a backlog of quotes to provide! However there is still time, contact me via email (see home page) or telephone +(34) 659 862 691.

For more background information on the new free market, see my earlier article Electricity Price Increases and New regulations in Force, posted 20 August 2009.

19 August 2010

Those of you who are considering installing or upgrading to 3-phase may also find this article of use.

Most ‘dwellings’ have single-phase electricity, with a nominal supply voltage of 230 Volts. However, many larger homes and ‘campo fincas’ (country homes and plots) have 3-phase with a nominal supply of 400V. The higher voltage is required by certain well pumps, some motors and workshop machinery. I have installed one or two large ceramic hobs that also operate at 400V!

Q. I have electricity connected, but how can I tell whether I have a single- or 3-phase?

Check you last bill to find your ‘potencia contratada’ (in KW). Check the two tables on my Guide to Determine Energy Rating of Electricity Contract, to determine whether you have single- or 3-phase. If your ‘potencia contratada’ figure appears in the top main table you have single-phase. If your potencia appears in the bottom smaller table you have 3-phase.

If for some reason you do not receive bills, or your ‘potencia contratada’ is not shown on my guide, you may be able to look through the window of your electricity meter box and count the fuses, if you can see them! If there are 1 or 2 fuses then you have single-phase, 3 or 4 fuses then you have 3-phase. The circuit breakers in the consumer unit are also much bigger for 3-phase installations.

If you are unable to determine what type of supply you have, then you need a shockingly good electrician!

Q. What is the maximum power available at 3-phase?

For ‘limited’ supplies, with an ICP fitted, the maximum power (’potencia contratada’) is 13,856KW, as restricted by a 20A ICP. However this only equates to 4,6KW for appliances rated at 230V. This is the major disadvantage with a 3-phase supply.

Check the bottom table in my Guide to Determine Energy Rating of Electricity Contract for ratings of ICP’s for 3-phase, then look up the ICP Rating in the main table to see the equivalent ‘potencia’ for single-phase.

The maximum rated ICP for a ‘limited’ 3-phase supply is only 20A. Of course, you can contract above this by opting for an ‘unlimited’ supply (with no ICP), but you will pay significantly more for your electricity.

As 3-phase power ratings (in KW’s) are calculated at 400V, the problem arises when connecting 230V [domestic] appliances to the supply.

For the ‘technically inclined’ amongst you, here is an example:

Your 3-phase supply is rated at 10,392KW; your recently fitted ICP is rated at 15A. If you plug in your kettle (rated say, at 2,18KW) and your air-conditioning unit (rated 3,57KW), your total load is calculated at 5,75KW at 230V.

Current (I) = Power (W) / Voltage (V) – bit of basic electrical theory for you!

Therefore,

Current = 5750 / 230 = 25 Amps !!

This clearly exceeds the 15A limit of your ICP. In this example, your ICP would ‘trip’ OFF!

In order to guarantee sufficient power, in the example above, to run both appliances at the same time, your 3-phase ICP would need to be at least 25A. Here lies the BIG problem, this is above the maximum rating for an ICP on a limited contract.

In order to have more than 4,6KW available at 230V on any given phase (of which there are three) on your 3-phase supply, you need to contract at 15KW or more. Consumers with such contracts do NOT have an ICP limiter; instead a digital “Maximetro” is installed in place of your old electricity meter. This digital device records peak-usage at 15-minute intervals. Your monthly bills are then calculated using this data.

If your ‘peak power’ recorded is way less than your ‘potencia contratada’ (power rating) then a discount (‘descuento’) will be applied to your bill. If your ‘peak power’ is in excess of your ‘potencia contratada’ then a surcharge (‘recargo’) will be applied to your bill.

Before you ask, I am already preparing my next ‘post’ for my shockingly good website, which will explain how to read and understand your 3-phase electricity bills!! I will post examples of both types of bill; limited supply with ICP (up to 13,856KW), and unlimited supply with Maximetro (15KW or more).

My advice to existing consumers; if your 3-phase ICP keeps ‘tripping’ OFF on a regular basis, upgrade your potencia contratada to 15KW or more and pay the higher bills(!), or convert your supply to single-phase, where you can contract up to a maximum power of 11,5KW.

It may well be much cheaper to change your 3-phase well pump to single-phase and switch your supply to single-phase, rather than face the huge bills you would have with an unlimited 3-phase supply.

My advice to anyone considering their options before installting an electricity supply, is opt for single-phase if you believe 11,5KW is sufficient. Three-phase supplies were only originally intended for commercial and industrial premises.

If you require, I can offer assistance to help you make any decisions necessary, I can perform load tests to identify ‘peak’ load, liase with Endesa and provide a quote for any work required to change your supply. You can contact me via email (see home page) or telephone me on +(34) 659 862 691.

19 August 2010

click image above to view full letter

In essence the letter is telling you that under a new law passed 1st July 2009, Endesa (and all other ‘free market’ electricity suppliers) are now legally obliged to ensure the ‘Interruptor de Control de Potencia’ (ICP) is installed for all consumers.

The letter identifies 2 of the 3 possible options:

1 – rent the ICP from Endesa, from 6 cents a month
2 – ask your ‘shockingly good‘ electrician to install the ICP

Or 3, the unwritten option, is DO NOTHING! Ignore this letter and the follow-up letter that will arrive 2 to 3 months later and do nothing during your 20 day response period. In this event, Endesa will not install an ICP, but will modify your billing account and charge you for the MAXIMUM energy rating possible on your supply, which could be 20KW! The monthly standing charge for a 20KW contract is currently 46,74€ per month plus electricity tax at 4,864% plus IVA at 16%!! Then you pay nearly 15 cents per KWh consumed, plus both taxes, of course!

Read on to see my replies to some very recent and ‘frequently asked questions’:

Q. What is an ICP?

The ICP is a current limiter, just like all the individual circuit breakers in your consumer unit (fuse box). The rating of which is dependent on the ‘potencia contratada’ (energy rating in KWs) of your electricity contract.

Q. Where is the ICP installed?

The ICP is installed in a special compartment in your consumer unit, which is then sealed by Endesa to prevent unauthorised access.  If your consumer unit does not have a compartment clearly marked ‘Interruptor de Control de Potencia’, then call me to arrange installation.  I can also liaise with Endesa on your behalf, if you struggle with techy-spanglish!?!

Q. Do I have to ask Endesa to fit my ICP?

You can choose to rent the ICP from Endesa (0,06€ per month for single-phase or 0,12€ per month for 3-phase), in which case they install it, or ask your ‘shockingly good‘ electrician to install it then arrange for Endesa to inspect it and fit their tamper-proof seal on the ICP compartment.

Q. If the ICP is a current limiter, will I have enough power after it is fitted?

Maybe not! Check the ‘potencia contratada’ (energy rating in KWs) at the top of the letter or on your last electricity bill.  If it is less than 5,75KW then your new ICP may well ‘trip’ OFF on a regular basis depending on the appliances in your home, how and when you use them. The ‘potencia contratada’ must be sufficient for your requirements to avoid regular interruptions to your supply. Check my previous article Energy Rating of Electricity Contracts and my Guide to Determine Energy Rating of Electricity Contracts for more useful info.

Should you need to increase your energy rating be aware that Endesa may request a new Boletín. A boletín certifies your electrics are compliant with current wiring regulations. Endesa will only upgrade existing contracts provided ‘Titular’ (Contract Holder) details are correct and a boletín has been issued since 1990. Changing the ‘Titular’ will necessitate a new contract, where more documentation will be requested, including valid boletín, DNI/NIE and Escritura proving legality and ownership of the property.

If you require assistance dealing with Endesa or need an ICP and/or ICP compartment fitting then I can help! Contact me via email (see home page) or telephone +(34) 659 862 691.

12 May 2010

21 March 2010

Hopefully you identified most of them!  But what do they all do? And what can you do if any of these breakers trip (i.e. switch OFF). Read on to find out!

The next time you lose power in your home, go to the fuse box, with torch if necessary and follow these tips and tricks!

MAIN BREAKER – Isolates live and neutral on incoming supply, provides general protection from overload and short circuits.

Trick: if this trips (switches OFF) and cannot be reset, leave alone for a few minutes and try switching ON later. If it is hot or smells bad, urgent attention is required!

SURGE LIMITER - Reduces risk of damage to electronic equipment following a surge on the supply or lightning strike to property or supply cable.

Tip: if a ‘tag’ appears in the small window, the unit needs replacing!

RCCB - (Residual Current Circuit Breaker) or ‘Earth Trip’ protects you from the risk of electric shock in the event of a wiring problem or fault on an appliance.

Tip: test every month by pressing the ‘Test’ button, this should provoke a trip (switches OFF) which proves the device is working, then switch it ON again.

Trick: if it trips on its own, try to identify which circuit or appliance is at fault, by first unplugging everything. Switch OFF all MCBs (see below). Switch RCCB back ON. Then by this process of elimination, switch ON each MCB one at time, in turn, until the RCCB trips again. Leave this MCB OFF and switch ON all the rest to regain power.

Trick: if it trips on a regular basis or will not reset, there is a genuine fault or something has got wet, quite likely with all the heavy rain recently! Check all outdoor lights, gate motors, swimming pool, well pump etc.

Miniature Circuit Breakers - (MCBs) provide overload and short circuit protection for individual circuits and ‘heavy load’ appliances, e.g. ceramic hob.

Tip: may be single-pole (isolates live only) but must be double-pole, same as Main Breaker, to comply with current wiring regulations. Consider upgrading!

Trick: if it trips, try unplugging all appliances on that circuit and switch ON MCB.

ICP - (Interuptor Control Potencia) is the ‘current limiter’ fitted and sealed by Endesa, the rating of which depends on the ‘potencia contratada’ on your electricity contract.

Tip: ensure your ‘potencia contratada’ (power contracted in Kilowatts) is adequate for the appliances used in your home, otherwise your ICP will continue to trip out (switch OFF)!

Tip: if your installation is very old it may not have an ICP. Electricity supply companies are now legally obliged to ensure ICP’s are fitted and maintained in working order and are currently writing to consumers for whom they have no record of an ICP being fitted. Be warned!!

Tip: if you want to upgrade your contract and have no ICP, work will be required to upgrade the fuse box and supply cable from your meter. The meter enclosure itself may need replacing and possibly the supply cable to it. You may also require a ‘boletín’ certifying your installation.

Tip: never remove or bypass the ICP, this is illegal and potentially lethal!

Trick: if the ICP trips on a regular basis then reduce the number of appliances operating at any one time or upgrade your contract with the supply company.

Other Tips to maintain ‘luz’:

• Find out the energy rating (in Kilowatts) of all your appliances, you need this information to determine correct energy rating (potencia contratada) and tariff. If you are planning to install air conditioning, ceramic hotplate or other electrical appliance, check your ‘potencia contratada’ is sufficient, if not contact your supply company or Spanish speaking electrician to request an upgrade.
• Ensure all wall sockets, light switches and plugs are in good condition.
• Use correct plugs for appliances (flat 2-pin plugs for unearthed double-insulated appliances, round 2-pin for all earthed appliances).
• Always replace damaged flexes and extension leads, do not ‘tape over’.
• Do not use multi-adaptors, have extra sockets fitted where required.
• If children about, fit sockets with child-protection safety covers.
• Do not use electrical appliances in the bathroom unless specifically approved for this purpose.

If you are concerned about problematic trips, your electricity supply or contract then contact me. I can audit your installation, perform load testing and advise you on most suitable tariff. I work with the Endesa partners in the Guadalhorce Valley, should any major works or ‘proyecto’ be necessary.

2 March 2010