Electricity Bills in Tenerife overcharged

Since the change to monthly billing for Electricity in December, expats in Tenerife and all over Spain have been baffled by the amounts taken from their accounts.  One elderly couple from Marbella were horrified to find that their latest monthly electricity bill quoted the sum of 169,340 Euros – enough to heat 200 homes in the depths of the winter!

However, the confusion is not restricted to expats, as electric companies are being investigated because clients have been overcharged for electricity following a change in the billing system in Spain.  Consumer group, Facua have reacted by launching an online electricity bill simulator to calculate what your bill should be, which has already been used by more than 55,000 users.  They also offer information (in Spanish) on what to do if the simulator discovers any irregularities and the amounts that should be reclaimed.

Previously bills from all energy companies (Endesa is the electricity company in Tenerife) were issued every two months and now bills are monthly although electricity meters are still only read every two months.

This system means that the electricity bill for the first month is based on an estimate. The bill for the second month is based on the reading taken from the electricity meter and is adjusted to correct the estimate charged in the previous month’s bill.

According to Facua in some cases consumers have been overcharged in the first month. The consumer organisation has denounced the electricity companies because the second bill, for energy consumed at the end of 2008, is charged at the increased cost of electricity in 2009.  This has entailed overcharging consumers by up to 5.6% for their electricity.