Electricity providers in Spain have been contacting consumers informing them of new legislation which came into force on 1st July 2009, following the deregulation of the electricity supply market, a process which started in November 1997. As happened in the UK, it opens up the market to other companies in allowing them to buy power from the major electricity companies and sell it on to consumers. More than 4.4 million Andalusian consumers can now contract the supply of electricity with one of ten companies (‘comercializadoras’), see list below.

Regardless of your chosen electricity supplier, Sevillana Endesa remain responsible for the supply network infrastructure throughout Andalucia. The Junta de Andalucia will continue complying with its obligation of monitoring quality of the supply and of the service to the consumer. The Department of Industry has set up two new bodies:-

Supplier Changes Office (Oficina de Cambios de Suministrador) – responsible for supervising the change to the deregulated market and monitoring consumer protection rights.

Office of Defense of the Consumer of Energy Products (Oficina de Defensa del Consumidor de Productos Energéticos) – responsible for resolving conflict between consumers and suppliers.

Central Government set a new tariff ‘Tarifa de Último Recurso’, (‘TUR’) replacing all previous tariffs up to 10KW, and includes a 2% increase on both standing and unit charge, from 1st July. The ‘TUR’ tariff no longer includes a ‘consumo gratis’ (free allowance) of 12,5KWh each month, but on a more positive note, the ‘exceso consumo’ (excess recharge) has been removed on power consumed over 500KWh per month. If you have done nothing, the ‘TUR’ tariff will have been applied to your bills from 1st July.

The recommendations to the consumer, before making a decision to change supplier, is to analyse previous bills, check power consumed (‘consumo total’), in KWh’s, confirm power requirements and read thoroughly all the information from available suppliers.

Sounds simple enough (!?!?), basically consumers have three choices:.

• Do nothing and automatically stay on your current power contract ‘potencia contratada’, on the new ‘TUR’ tariff. Your supply and invoices will come from a ‘CUR’ supplier, depending on where you live, from the list  below. For almost everyone in Andalucia this will be Endesa Energía XXI S.L.

• Change to one of the existing regional suppliers already operating in Spain, now referred to as ‘Comercializadora de Ultimo Recurso’ (‘CUR’), who are obliged to supply electricity at a price no higher than that fixed by the government. These companies currently offer no more than a 2% discount on the government tariff on contracts over 10KW, contracts under 10KW will be on the new ‘TUR’ tariff.

Endesa Energía XXI S.L.
Iberdrola CUR S.A.U.
Unión Fenosa Metra S.L.
EON CUR S.L.
Hidrocantábrico Energía UR S.A.U.

 

• Change to a new supplier in Andalucia, referred to as ‘Comercializadora Mercado Libre’, and set up new supply contract depending on your power requirements:

Céntrica Energía S.L.U.
Factor Energía S.A.
Gesternova S.A.
Nexus Energía S.A.
Eléctrica de Cádiz S.A. – only available in the province of Cadiz

(There are more than 20 other new suppliers available to consumers outside of Andalucia.)

 
What was previously known as the ‘nocturnal tariff’ (Off-Peak Tariff) will still will available with all suppliers.

For the most vulnerable sectors of the community (pensioners and families with all the members unemployed), and for those that have a low power contract (< 3kW), the ‘Bono Social’ (replaces previous ‘Tarifa Social’), will be available on application with all suppliers, but with two conditions, the property must be a main residence and it must be fitted with a power limiter, or ‘ICP’ (Interuptor Control Potencia). On application of the ‘Bono Social’, you will receive 12,5KWh free each month and pay a recharge for electricity consumed in excess of 500KWh per month. If, prior to 1st July, your contract was 3KW or less, then you will automatically receive this discount on future bills.

Consumers that have single and 3-phase power contracted at 10KW or more, mainly larger homes and small businesses, will benefit from changing supplier. If they did not change supplier before 1st July, the Department of Industry will apply quarterly price increases until 2010 in order to encourage the move to the deregulated market. The same rule has been used before to move high voltage ‘alta tension’ consumers with their own transformers away from Sevillana Endesa who are no longer able to provide this level of service.

Information for this article sourced from:

Minesterio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio
Comisión Nacional de Energía (CNE)
Junta de Anadulcia
Endesa
Energía Diario
Enería Próxima
Oficina de Cambios de Suministrador

20 August 2009