Benjamin Peter, edited by Yanis Darras 06:28, May 17, 2022, modified at 06:31, May 17, 2022

Spain and Portugal will finally be able to lower their electricity bills.

Madrid has validated the mechanism negotiated with the European Union which recognizes "the Iberian exception" and must allow these two countries to cap the price of gas, also used to produce electricity.

User bills should drop by 25 to 30%. 

Electricity bills are soaring and panicking the Spaniards and Portuguese.

The price increase, already well underway in 2021 (+41% over this year in Spain), has continued since the start of 2022. For many consumers like Maria Luisa, it is time to be vigilant .

"I only run the washing machine once a week," she explains, in order to control her budget.

"But I generally pay around 70 euros per month. I deprive myself a little so as not to have to pay 100 euros per month," she admits. 

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The announcement of the price cap negotiated by the government, which should allow bills to fall by 25 to 30%, is expected by Maria Luisa.

"But this drop will only affect our bill in June. It is those who govern us who decide. And we can just pay and be silent," she laments. 

"The problem is, everything has increased"

In the village, rising energy prices are also affecting professionals like Javier, who owns a sawmill.

"We are waiting. On our invoice, we do not see it yet", he underlines.

And to continue: “Electricity is not the biggest cost of our company. It is important, but it is not the most representative. The problem is that everything has increased. diesel for transport, etc. It's a whole chain that follows", explains Javier. 

Because in Spain, the state has already granted a discount of 20 euro cents per liter of fuel.

A measure adopted in France also, but which went almost unnoticed on the other side of the Pyrenees, the price of oil having continued to rise.

So like Javier, many Spaniards and Portuguese remain cautious before rejoicing at this 30% drop in the price of electricity, on which the government is counting.