This will be the new electricity bill: QR that leads to a comparator and how the gas cap affects you

Since the beginning of the energy crisis, the electricity bill has been in the Executive's sights.

Action has been taken against its volatility and against its substance, but also against its form: the GOVERNMENT wants it to be

and to provide simple information so that citizens understand why they pay, not just how much.

The National Markets and Competition Commission has modified the mandatory information that must appear on the new electricity bills.

are planned

, although one of them, in reality, should already be being applied and appear on the bills: the link and the QR code that lead to the CNMC's energy offer comparator.

The Commission here gives a slap on the ears to the electricity companies, since it considers that they have not made an effort to include the QR code in a visible way and wants them to start doing so.

"Since the entry into force of the CNMC Resolution, it has been found that some marketers

on the understanding that their invoices issued by digital means did not have such consideration" , details the Official State Gazette.

The organization thus resolves this doubt: "for the purposes of this Resolution, an electronic invoice is considered to be any invoice issued by electronic or digital means".

They also note that the link to the comparator "

nor is it interpreted as a link that can be accessed by clicking", so they recall that it must be located "in a visible place and clearly identified.

In this way, to make it clear that it is a 'clickable' link, the Resolution is modified to include that the link must be identified "in color and underlined, in line with how links are usually represented on the Internet".

QR code

The QR code must have a

and must not only link to the comparator, but must automatically include the information of each user for a series of parameters, ranging from the postal code to the consumption or the date of issuance of the invoice.

In the case of the link in electronic invoices, although the URL that the user will see will not incorporate this information, the link will.

In other words, just by following the link provided by the electricity company in any of its forms, the user will access the comparator with all the information about their type of bill and consumption that they should fill in manually and previously prepared.

In addition, the CNMC also regulates the description that will have to be included in both cases: "In the QR code or by clicking on the following link (https://comparador.cnmc.gob.es) you can consult and compare the different offers in force of the electrical energy marketers".

aids

To the elements already present, such as the evolution of consumption or contracted power, new ones will be added.

Already in its +Energy Security Plan -and even with the previous measures, which the experts considered more pedagogical than effective for saving- the Government took a didactic position.

To reduce consumption you have to understand it.

The same thing will happen with bills and they will begin to reflect the cost of the tools that are already having a direct impact on them: the gas cap and the social bonus.

The cap on gas or Iberian mechanism is the tool introduced in mid-June to limit

the price of gas for energy production by

Later, the difference between the price at which they bought the gas and the price at which they had to sell the electricity produced with it is returned to the electricity companies.

Initially, this was paid only by PVPC rate clients, but it is now beginning to be passed on to free market clients

.

In any case, the impact on the final price is less than it would be if this discount were not applied.

For its part, the figure of the social bonus has existed for years -it came into force in 2017-, but the +SE Plan increases its scope.

Its cost is assumed by companies and direct consumers in the market, who will now see this detail reflected in the invoice.

It also changes the bonus, which, on the one hand, increases its scope -to 1.5 million additional families, according to the Executive's calculations- with a temporary figure of "

", which will be entitled to a discount of 40%.

On the other, both the energy entitled to this reduction is increased, by 15%, as well as the discount that is applied: it goes to 65% for vulnerable consumers (it was 60%) and 80% (previously it was 70 %) for severely vulnerable consumers.

The invoices will also include parameters to find out if the invoice includes a promotion, if there has been a price change in the billing period or

one -this option is added after public consultation-, as well as the billing date and, as a novelty, the end date of the contract, if the offer that the consumer has contracted is green and the frequency of price revision.

The CNMC considers a term "necessary" for the marketers to adapt the systems and reflect the changes in the invoices, but also recalls that they have already developed the incorporation of the code.

In addition, he believes that it is "relevant" that this information appears "as soon as possible" to facilitate the comparison of offers.

Thus,

, despite the fact that the allegations received requested periods of up to six months.

Added to these changes, although this communication does not include it, is the new information and transparency measure of the +SE Plan that obliges marketers to reflect on the bill for small customers "information on

".

It will not arrive individually - that is, private information will not be published - but only context so that customers can identify abnormal consumption.

Tips for reducing energy consumption will also appear.

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