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Staying cool this summer is costing Spanish households more than ever before. Back to back heatwaves have pushed demand for air conditioning to record levels just as electricity has become significantly more expensive, leaving families facing what's shaping up to be the priciest summer on record for keeping their homes liveable.

 

Several factors have combined to drive up the cost. VAT on electricity has returned to 21%, the Electricity Tax has climbed back to 5.1% now that government tax breaks linked to the conflict in the Middle East have ended, and wholesale electricity prices spike whenever a heatwave hits, since that's exactly when millions of households switch their air conditioning on at once.

 

During the most recent peak in demand, wholesale prices topped €100 per megawatt hour while temperatures in parts of the country reached close to 43°C.

 

According to the OCU, the average household's electricity bill had already reached €66.08 a month before the hottest days of summer had even arrived. That figure only tends to climb from here, given that every degree the thermostat is dropped below the recommended 26°C adds roughly 7% to 8% to consumption, according to the IDAE.

 

In practice, that means a unit typically costing around €30 a month at 26°C could cost €38 to €40 if it's kept at 22°C instead.

 

The type of appliance used makes a big difference too. A fan run for eight hours a day for a month costs as little as €1.80 to €2.60, whereas a split inverter air conditioning unit can cost €22 to €39 over the same period, and a portable unit up to €56.

 

Mario Fernández, CEO of Camby, pointed out that pairing a fan with air conditioning set to 27°C gives the same comfort as air conditioning alone at 24-25°C, while cutting costs by 15% to 20%.

 

Even the tariff you're on matters. The OCU found that a third of Spanish families are paying for more power than they actually need, in some cases adding up to €450 extra a year for exactly the same supply.

 

Overpaying for electricity is more common than most people realise, and it's a big part of why so many English speakers living in Spain now use Gana Energía to check their bills. Their team does the hard work for you, comparing what you're currently paying against Gana's latest rates completely free of charge.

 

Where a better deal exists that actually fits how your household uses electricity day to day, they'll track it down.

 

A quick call is all it takes to get a free, plain English breakdown of your current bill, along with a clear picture of how much Gana Energía might be able to knock off your next one.