Find out the electricity meter secrets'

First of all we want to point out that the electricity supply must to be hired with an electricity firm: it is illegal 'to prick' light supply. 

In 2008, Spain liberalized the energy sector by introducing 2 types of markets:

Regulated: Spanish Government sets the tariffs price thank to which you can contract the supply. Likewise, the Administration also includes here the social bond, that is a social benefit thought to protect poorer consumers.

Free: in it the electricity companies and traders establish the energy price based on competition between them to establish the light prices every hour. 

The 'Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia' (CNMC) provides the main dealers and their contact information in the following link.

In the first part of the text we have explained how the Spanish electricity market is regulated and which firms can operate in it. Now let's go to the citizen daily life.  There are analogue and digital counters: the second will win the race.

 
The European Union political will of the has created the legal framework that regulates this technological change: European Directive 2009/72 of 13 July. It states that by 2020 at least 80% of consumers must have intelligent metering systems. Before 2020, December 31, 2018, Spain had to allow the discrimination per hour of at least 15 kw per hour.  

                                                               
But what are the advantages of digital/intelligent meters?  With them the consumer compulsory readings will end: the information will arrive directly at the supplier. As a consumer are you worried about possible abuses? The Consumer Organisation defends you. In addition, a digital meter allows you to extract much more information.

 Now we teach you the secrets of the digital/intelligent meter: 

1. What are the previous questions to know about our supply?

1.1 What tariff of light have you hired 

1.2 Which is the electrical power limit that we choose for our house or local. 

1.3 Your supply is not active? We explain you how to do it.   

If you have doubts, ask the distributor. You may indicate the following: name and surname, DNI (ID document) or passport, contract number,   'point of supply' address and city/village in which you have hired it. You can even give the specific name of your tariff if you know.

2. Do you have 'hour discrimination' in the contracted tariff? 

The word discrimination indicates if our tariff diferentiate between 'peak' hours -more expensive- and 'valley' ones cheaper The most economic hours are: from 10PM to 12PM in winter and from 11PM to 1PM in Summer. Also, it is important to know that the changes of the tariffs with hourly discrimination are made at the end of March and October. A rate without hour discrimination on the contrary is unique for the 24h,  

3. How does the meter indicate your consumption data? 

This information appear on the screen recorded and we can 'move' through it using the button indicated on each model. Since there are different models, you should contact the distributor who is responsible for the installation.
 
4. Where are the different readings shown?

The reading without hourly discrimination is shown next to code 1.18.0 there will appear the total kwh consumed since the supplier installed the meter to know if the consumption indicated in your invoice is correct rest the reading of the period established by your invoice (monthly, bimonthly, quarterly). 
On the other hand, there is hourly discrimination the meter registers two, or even three readings. The first is for "peak hours" is next to number 1.18.1. The second for off-peak hours is next to number 1.18.2 and the third for super valley hours is next to number 1.18.3. 

5. What should you do if you cannot access the electrical readings?

To consult the readings that the meter registers is a consumer right. In case of not being able to access the room where there is the community meter you can always ask the  owners' community president for the password.

6. How can you know if the intensity of consumption is normal? 

The red light is the key. Thus, when it blinks at a regular rhythm, a normal electrical consumption is being registered. On the other hand, if this light is off there is no consumption, a third case is when it blinks too fast: there is excessive consumption that will lead to the fact that the differential "jumps" and we run out of light. In some meter models there is a green light to indicate that the consumption is normal and, in others, there is an orange light that indicates some type of fault so we have to contact the supplier company to send a technician. 

7. What to do in case of blowing the fuse? 

When the light goes out you have to restart the digital meter. This is done with the help of a flashlight checking that all the switches are turned up, disconnecting the appliance that consumes the most. Then lower the main switch and, if there is no other fault, you will recover the light. 

8. Can you refuse the digital meter instalation at your home?

No you can't you can be fined. We remind you that it is compulsory to have a digital meter.

'Information is power': now you have it!