BILLS SOAR: Spanish electric prices rose 25 per cent in January compared to last year

ELECTRICITY bills in Spain were 25 per cent higher last month compared to the same period in 2018.

The reason behind the rise, according to the Spanish consumer organisation OCU, is the weather and CO2 emission rights

In a statement, it said: “We believe that the reason for this strong and sustained increase is the weather and, in particular, CO2 emission rights, who prices have risen sharply since the middle of last year.

“The higher cost is transferred to the price at which energy is offered by the most polluting technologies.”

Those most affected are apparently households with timers, as they ‘concentrate high consumption in the colder months’.

The only advice given is to think twice before turning on lights and heating.

OCU said a bill payer who consumed 3,000 kWh during January will have paid an extra €51 euros compared to 12 months ago.

The organisation predicted that there will not be a reduction in February, claiming ‘everything seems to indicate the prices will remain’.

“We will have to wait until March or April for a reduction in the wholesale market,” it concluded.