Electricity bills in Spain about to top €100 in August for first time in four years. FACUA’s simple steps to fight back

Households in Spain on the regulated PVPC electricity tariff face a nasty shock this month. Consumer group FACUA reckons the average bill is on course for €101.23 if the high prices from the first half of August hold steady. That would be the first time an August bill has cleared the €100 mark since 2022.

Back then the same typical household paid €158.30. Last August the figure sat at €80.71. July 2026 already ranked as the dearest month of the year at €93.65, so the jump from July to the projected August total works out at 8.1 per cent. Year-on-year the first fortnight of August is running 17.3 per cent higher than the same time in 2025.

FACUA’s model user has 4.4 kW of contracted power and uses 366 kWh a month. Peak hours have averaged 27.74 cents per kWh, flat periods 19.29 cents and off-peak 21.34 cents (taxes included). Off-peak prices alone are up more than a third since last year.

Readers who followed Euro Weekly News coverage of July’s 17 per cent rise on the regulated tariff will recognise the pattern. Many households are still paying for more power than they need, a problem we examined in detail earlier this summer.

What FACUA wants the government to fix

FACUA keeps pushing for proper regulatory changes. The group says nuclear and hydro power should leave the daily auction system. Instead, the government should set a fixed price for those sources and review it every few months, much like butane gas. That, FACUA argues, would stop the big generators from collecting oversized margins that make everyone’s bills higher.

Simple step-by-step moves FACUA recommends right now

1. Check whether you qualify for the bono social (social electricity discount). Only households on the PVPC tariff with 10 kW or less can apply. FACUA has long criticised the low take-up on this and encourages people to use the official calculator and contact a reference supplier if they meet the income or large-family rules. The discount can cut the bill by 25 to 40 per cent for eligible households. Full details sit on the Ministry for Ecological Transition site and on FACUA’s own bono-social tools.
2. Look hard at your contracted power. Seven out of ten Spanish homes still pay for more kilowatts than they actually use. They say if the circuit breaker has not tripped once in the past three months, you are almost certainly over-paying. FACUA has calculated that excess power costs households nearly a billion euros a year. Ask your supplier to drop the figure; the change is free and usually takes under a week with a smart meter. Euro Weekly News covered exactly this “hidden line” on Spanish bills in early July – the advice is still solid.
3. Shift heavy use to cheaper hours. Washing machines, dishwashers and water heaters cost far less between midnight and 8 am on weekdays and all day at weekends. Most modern appliances have delay timers. Moving just a few loads can shave several euros off the monthly total.
4. Keep an eye on the daily price curve. Red Eléctrica publishes the next day’s hourly rates each evening. A quick check before you run energy-hungry kit can help you dodge the most expensive slots.
5. If you are already struggling, contact FACUA or another recognised consumer group. They can check your bill for errors, help with the social tariff application and advise on switching back to PVPC if you drifted onto a free-market deal that is now more expensive.

Keeping costs under control while prices stay high

August heat means air-conditioning use is up, so actual bills may land even higher than FACUA’s projection if consumption rises. Fixed-price free-market contracts protect against wholesale swings until they expire, but they do not protect against higher usage. Anyone still on an old fixed deal should note the end date and compare options carefully.

Official sources worth bookmarking include FACUA’s full analysis of the August figures, the CNMC’s bill-understanding tool and the government’s bono social page. Euro Weekly News will keep tracking the monthly movements so readers can stay one step ahead of the next price spike.

Spanish electricity prices are still volatile, yet a few practical checks, such as power level, social discount eligibility and timing of use, still give households real control over what lands on the doormat.