How to switch energy supplier in Spain in 2026

Here is the number that should make you put down your coffee: in 2024, 13.7% of Spanish households switched energy supplier — nearly 4 million supply contracts, according to the CNMC's Household Panel. Of those who switched, 84.6% said they did it to save money.

The Spanish energy market rewards homeowners who switch. It penalises those who stay.

If you have not reviewed your energy contract in the past 12 months — or if you signed whatever your estate agent or the previous owner recommended when you bought your property — you are almost certainly paying more than you need to. Potentially by €150–€400 per year, every year, without doing anything differently.

Why now specifically

Spain's government passed Royal Decree-Law 7/2026 on 20 March 2026 as part of its response to the Middle East energy crisis. The decree introduced two temporary tax cuts that now appear on every electricity invoice issued from 22 March 2026:

1. VAT on electricity reduced from 21% to 10% — for residential contracts with contracted power up to 10 kW.
2. Special Electricity Tax cut from 5.11% to 0.5% — applies to all consumers.

These measures run until 30 June 2026. Switching to the right contract now means you benefit from the tax relief and you are on the right rate when it ends.

The problem with staying loyal

Spain's energy market is structured in a way that actively penalises loyalty. The best contract rates — introductory discounts, lower kWh rates, no permanencia offers — are almost universally reserved for new customers or new contracts.

Your current supplier has no financial incentive to proactively move you onto a better deal. The CNMC's 2024 switching data confirms what anyone who has tried this knows: the savings are real. Of the 4 million households who switched in 2024, around 300,000 reported the process was "difficult or very difficult" — meaning 93% found it manageable.

What you need before you start: the CUPS number

Before you can switch electricity supplier in Spain, you need one piece of information: your CUPS number (Código Universal de Punto de Suministro).

The CUPS is a 20–22 character code that starts with "ES" and identifies your electricity connection point. It is permanently attached to your property address — it does not change when you switch suppliers.

You will find it:

• On any electricity bill, usually in the header or the datos del contrato section
• In your supplier's online customer portal
• On the electricity meter itself (sometimes)

Step 1: Know what energy contract you're currently on

Pull out your most recent electricity bill and identify:

Step 2: Understand what energy contract you're choosing between

PVPC — the regulated tariff

Government-regulated. Prices change every hour, set by OMIE. No minimum contract term, no exit fees. Suits full-time residents who can shift consumption to off-peak (valle) hours — midnight to 8am weekdays, all weekend.

Fixed-rate contracts — the free market

Over 300 licensed retailers operate in Spain's free market. Fixed-rate offers in April 2026 range from approximately €0.13 to €0.20/kWh. Some include a permanencia clause — by law, the maximum exit penalty is capped at 5% of the remaining contract value.

Step 3: Compare using the CNMC comparator

The CNMC's official electricity offer comparator is genuinely useful and entirely neutral. It shows real offers from all licensed suppliers, ranked by total annual cost for your consumption profile.

Step 4: Check whether your potencia is right first

Before you switch tariff, check whether your contracted power is right for your property. The potencia standing charge is typically €0.115–0.132 per kW per day in 2026 — a cost you pay regardless of consumption. A property contracted at 6.9 kW that only ever needs 4.6 kW is paying around €125–€130 more per year before a single kWh is consumed.

Step 5: Switch — what actually happens

1. You contact the new supplier — online, by phone, or in person. Provide your CUPS number.
2. The new supplier notifies your current supplier via the regulated switching process. You do not need to contact your old supplier.
3. Your supply is never interrupted — Spanish law prohibits any gap during a commercial switch.
4. The switch completes in 5–20 working days.
5. You receive one final bill from the old supplier covering consumption up to the switch date.

Who are the main suppliers worth considering

The tax relief window: act before July

When Royal Decree-Law 7/2026's measures expire, VAT reverts to 21% and the electricity tax reverts to 5.11%. That is a combined tax increase of over 20 percentage points on the tax component of your bill.

Summary: what to do this week

1. Find your CUPS number — it's on any electricity bill.
2. Note your contracted power and annual consumption (kWh) — from the same bill.
3. Run a comparison on the CNMC comparator — free, neutral.
4. Check your potencia is right — separate from your contract, but affects total cost on any tariff.
5. Switch before mid-June — to have your new contract in place before the tax relief expires.

Or skip steps 1–3 and upload your bill — we make switching simple.