Changing electricity or gas supplier in Spain: step by step

Many people in Spain stay with the electricity or gas company that came with their flat, simply because switching sounds complicated. In practice, changing supplier is mostly paperwork that the new company does for you. No one comes to change the meter or the cables, and your supply should not be interrupted. Winter, when heating pushes up bills, is a good time to check whether your contract still suits you. Here is how to do it step by step.

If you want to understand the lines on your bill first, see our guide to electricity, water, gas and internet bills in Spain.

Distributor and retailer: who does what

Two kinds of company are involved in your energy supply, and you can only choose one of them.

• The distributor (distribuidora): owns the network and the meter in your area, reads the meter and fixes faults. It is fixed by where you live, and it doesn’t change when you switch.
• The retailer (comercializadora): sells you the energy, sets the price and sends the bill. This is the company you can change.

So if you have a power cut, you call the distributor, whichever retailer you use. When you switch, only the name on the bill and the prices change.

Step 1: find the details on your current bill

• CUPS: the code of 20 or 22 characters that identifies your supply point. Electricity and gas have different CUPS codes.
• Contracted power (potencia contratada): in kW, for electricity.
• Your tariff: whether you are on the regulated price (PVPC for electricity, TUR for gas) or a free-market offer, and whether the price is fixed or follows the market.
• Your consumption: many bills show your use over the last 12 months. You need it to compare offers properly.
• Contract conditions: look for a minimum term (permanencia) or an early cancellation charge, and for extra services such as maintenance contracts.

Step 2: decide between the regulated price and a free-market offer

For electricity, households with a contracted power of 10 kW or less can choose the regulated PVPC (precio voluntario para el pequeño consumidor). The price changes every hour and is partly linked to the wholesale market, and you can only get it from one of the reference retailers (comercializadoras de referencia). Free-market offers come from all other retailers and may have a fixed price per kWh for a set period, time-of-use periods or a flat monthly fee.

• Bono social: if you qualify for the electricity social discount, you must be on the PVPC in your main home. Switching to a free-market offer means losing the discount.
• Gas: households with an annual consumption below 50,000 kWh can choose the regulated TUR from a last-resort retailer, or a free-market offer.
• Fixed or variable: a fixed price gives predictable bills. A market-linked price can be cheaper in some periods and more expensive in others.

Step 3: compare offers properly

The national energy regulator, the CNMC, runs an official comparison tool for electricity and gas offers (comparador de ofertas de energía), which you can find from its website. Enter your postcode, contracted power and annual consumption to see estimated annual costs.

• Compare both the energy price (per kWh) and the power price (per kW per day or per year). A cheap kWh price with an expensive power price is not always a saving.
• Check how long a discount or “welcome price” lasts and what the price is afterwards.
• Watch out for bundled extras, such as maintenance plans or insurance, that add a monthly cost.
• If you use a lot of electricity at night or at weekends, an offer with cheaper off-peak periods may suit you. Our guide to smart home gadgets that cut your electricity bill has ideas for shifting your use.

Step 4: sign with the new company

Once you have chosen, contact the new retailer online, by phone or in a shop. You normally need:

• The account holder’s full name and NIE, DNI or passport.
• The supply address and the CUPS.
• A Spanish or SEPA bank account (IBAN) for the direct debit.
• Contact details, such as phone and email.

The new retailer requests the switch from the distributor. You don’t need to cancel your old contract yourself, as it ends when the new one starts. The switch can take some days, but your supply continues as normal in the meantime. Ask the new company for the contract and the general conditions in writing, and keep them.

If you signed at a distance, for example online, by phone or at your door, you normally have 14 days to withdraw from the contract.

Step 5: after the switch

• Final bill: your old retailer sends a last bill up to the switch date. Check that the meter reading matches.
• Extra services: a maintenance or insurance service from the old company may be a separate contract. Cancel it if you don’t want it any more.
• First new bill: check that the prices match the offer you signed.
• Heating season: if your bills rise sharply in winter, our guide to heating your home in a Spanish winter compares the options.

Avoid unwanted switches and doorstep sales

Some households are switched to a new retailer without really agreeing to it, often after a phone call or a visit that seemed to be about something else. The CNMC has fined retailers for switching consumers without genuine consent.

• Don’t give your CUPS, a photo of your bill or your bank details to unsolicited callers or door-to-door sellers.
• Be wary of anyone who says they are “from the electricity company” and need to “update” your contract. Your distributor doesn’t sell contracts.
• If a bill arrives from a company you didn’t choose, complain to it in writing straight away, contact your previous retailer and, if needed, your local consumer office (OMIC) or the regional consumer service.

FAQ: changing energy supplier

Does it cost anything to change electricity company in Spain?

The switch itself is normally free. You may have to pay an early cancellation charge if your current contract has a minimum term, so check your conditions first.

Will my power be cut off during the switch?

No. The physical connection and the meter stay the same, and your supply continues while the contracts change.

Can a tenant change the supplier?

The contract holder can. If the contract is in the landlord’s name, you either ask the landlord or change the holder (cambio de titular) to your name first, if your rental contract allows it.

Can I keep the bono social with a free-market company?

No. The electricity bono social requires the regulated PVPC from a reference retailer in your main home.

Useful links

• CNMC, energy consumer information and the offer comparison tool
• Bono social requirements (Ministry for the Ecological Transition)

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and prices change, so check with the official source before you decide.