Torrevieja (Alicante) resident shocked by new tax added to electricity bill

Average price of electricity in Spain drops marginally on Friday, February 10

Image of electricity pylons. Credit: Pixabay/analogicus

EXASPERATED Torrevieja resident Joan Warner recently contacted the Euro Weekly News about her electricity bill. 

Joan, a widow and a pensioner, lives in a bungalow with two bedrooms and just one air-conditioning unit.

Her last electricity bill came to €90 but to her horror she noticed that another €54 had been added to the bill, listed as Cargos Normativos (regulated charges).

What did that mean?

Asking friends, Joan found that one was charged €1 while another had to pay €1.50.

Thoroughly incensed by now, she went to the Iberdrola office demanding to know what it was all about.

Their lame explanation that it was a new government tax which everyone- even Iberdrola – must pay, still did not justify why Joan was charged €54 and others just €1.

This elicited a further explanation that “it depends on your contract” but as Joan pointed out, that did not clarify how the “completely arbitrary” €54 on her bill was calculated.

Iberdrola does indeed have to pay a new tax, introduced under new government measures to cap the price of gas used at gas-fired power stations.

According to a recent Telemadrid report, Iberdrola confirmed that Cargos Normativas will gradually be applied to clients as their annual contracts are renewed.  Presumably this accounts for the disparity between her bill and those of her friends.

“Meanwhile I’ve contacted the Euro Weekly News because I want to bring the situation to the attention of the public, especially those experiencing this same injustice,” Joan said.

“Let’s see what they have to say.”

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Written by

Linda Hall

Originally from the UK, Linda is based in Valenca and is a reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering local news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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