The price of electricity skyrockets in the first half of August and points to a receipt of more than 100 euros

The price of electricity has surged during the first half of August, with forecasts indicating that the average bill for users under the regulated tariff, known as PVPC, could exceed 100 euros for the month. This marks the first time since 2022, during the energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, that such high costs have been recorded. According to calculations by Facua Consumidores en Acción, if current prices remain unchanged, the monthly bill would reach 101.23 euros, surpassing previous records. In the first half of August, the average price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity consumed was 27.74 cents during peak hours, 19.29 cents during off-peak hours, and 21.34 cents during valley hours, including indirect taxes. These figures show a significant increase compared to the same period last year, with a rise of 13.9% during peak times, 21.7% during off-peak periods, and 37.1% during valley hours. The overall invoice has risen by 17.3% compared to the same period in August 2025, which would extrapolate to a total of 86.31 euros for the entire month. For the past few years, the average electricity bill for a typical user, defined as someone with a contracted power of 4.4 kilowatts and a monthly consumption of 366 kWh, has fluctuated. In 2025, the bill was 80.71 euros, while in 2024 it was 78.21 euros, and in 2023 it was 73.21 euros. However, in 2022, during the height of the energy crisis, the bill reached its highest level of 158.30 euros. With the current data, the bill for July, which had already been the most expensive month of the year at 93.65 euros, has increased by 8.1%, making August the second most expensive month so far this year. The next most expensive month was March, with a bill of 82.09 euros. The highest bill before this period was recorded in December 2025, when the cost was 87 euros. The average user profile used by Facua in their analysis includes a contracted power of 4.4 kilowatts, the same during both peak and valley hours, and a monthly consumption of 366 kWh. Regarding the distribution of consumption across the three hourly bands in the new billing system, Facua has referenced the traditional user profile published by the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) in 2021. This profile indicates that the average user consumes 45% of their electricity during valley hours, 29% during peak hours, and 26% during off-peak hours. Facua is calling for substantial regulatory changes from the government to address the disproportionate margins within the electricity generation sector. Additionally, the association is urging that nuclear and hydropower sources be removed from daily auctions and instead be subject to fixed prices set by the executive branch, which should be reviewed periodically. These measures aim to stabilize costs and ensure fairer pricing for consumers.