Electricity bill rise: Here is how much households in Spain could really pay this summer

Many households across Spain will see their electricity bills jump by around 15 per cent from this month. Temporary tax breaks brought in earlier in the year on energy ended on June 1, adding to costs at a time when hot weather drives up use of fans and air conditioning.

Electricity bills climb as tax relief ends

VAT on electricity returned to the standard 21 per cent from June. The Special Electricity Tax also goes back up from 0.5 per cent to 5.11 per cent. These two changes together will create a 15 per cent increase on most household bills.

Lower VAT at 10 per cent applied only while prices stayed high enough. Data for April 2026 revealed electricity prices fell 4.3 per cent year on year. Natural gas prices dropped 9.6 per cent. Neither met the required threshold, so the relief ended automatically.

A typical household faces an extra €8 a month

A common example involves a home on the PVPC tariff with monthly use of 292 kilowatt hours and 4.6 kilowatts of contracted power. That household paid €56 in April. The same consumption now produces a bill of €64 once the full taxes apply. The difference of eight euros shows what many can expect.

Household bill example

Typical home: 292 kWh per month, 4.6 kW power (PVPC tariff)

April (reduced taxes): €56

From June (full taxes): €64

Increase: €8 or 15 per cent

Bills for natural gas also move up to 21 per cent VAT, though most homes use less gas in summer months. Improved discounts for the social electricity bonus are still available for those who qualify as vulnerable or severely vulnerable.

Fans versus air conditioning: the real cost difference this summer

Hot days mean higher electricity use for cooling in many homes. Air conditioning tends to prove costly to run. Figures from recent days indicate one hour of air conditioning during expensive periods adds about 30 cents to a bill.

Ceiling fans are said to cost far less. One hour of operation adds only around two cents. This makes fans around 15 times cheaper to use than air conditioning.

Retailers are currently finding increased demand for ceiling fans. Sales rose some 48 per cent at one large chain compared with the previous year. Overall cooling product sales grew 65 per cent, with fixed air conditioning up 120 per cent, yet fans offer better value.

Fans deliver comfort with lower bills and extra benefits

A ceiling fan can lower the felt temperature in a room by as much as eight degrees through gentle air circulation. It avoids the dry air and sudden temperature changes linked to air conditioning, which can irritate eyes and throats. The moving air also makes it harder for mosquitoes and flies to find victims.

Modern ceiling fans with direct current motors cut energy use by up to 70 per cent compared with older models. Purchase and fitting costs stay reasonably low too, typically €70 to €150 for the unit plus €60 to €80 for installation, similar to hanging a light fitting.

Many people in Spain now prefer to install ceiling fans even in homes that already have air conditioning elsewhere. The big saving on running costs helps offset the return to higher electricity taxes.

Support for lower energy taxes still needed long term

Consumer organisation OCU maintains that electricity and gas count as essential supplies. It wants a permanent reduced VAT rate on them, rather than temporary measures that depend on monthly price movements. The group continues to push for stable lower taxes plus easier access to social support for vulnerable households.

People can check if they qualify for the social bonus (bono social) to keep bigger discounts. Choosing efficient fans or using air conditioning sparingly alongside fans offers one practical way to manage higher bills during the hotter months ahead.