The National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) foresees a downward revision of the 4.4% of electric tolls which, ultimately, has an impact on the consumer electricity bill. According to the Report that justifies the proposed resolution published yesterday, Competition proposes a cut in the amount to finance the maintenance and operation of electricity transport and distribution infrastructure.
This despite the fact that, in global terms, the operators of these networks – at the timeRed Eléctrica, Iberdrola, Naturgy, Endesa or EDP– they are going to increase their remuneration. Specifically, for 2025 the CNMC proposes a remuneration of 1,216.5 million euros for the transportation of electricity – 2.11% more than this year – and 5,826.3 million euros in distribution – 3.57% more -. In total, both concepts will reach 7,042 million euros.
The reason behind the cut is because the regulator calculates that there will be an increase in electricity demand that will reduce the general cost of maintaining the electrical network. In this sense, the CNMC estimates that the energy consumption through transportation and distribution rise by 1.3% in 2025, although it also accounts for a downward scenario in which it decreases by 0.4% and an upward one in which it increases by 3.5%. The central panorama presented by the CNMC contrasts with that of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, which through the PNIEC foresees that the increase in electricity demand between 2019 and 2030 will rise to 34%, at a rate of 3.09% per year.
On the other hand, the regulator also includes a strong increase in peak periods of electricity consumption and a decrease in off-peak periods, that is, the difference between the cost of tolls depending on the billing periods is accentuated. For example, the power term and the energy term of the tolls for tariff group 2.0 TD -small consumers- rises 2% and 3% respectively in the more expensive hours and drop by 43% and 14% in the off-peak periods.
In the case of large industries, the tariff groups from 6.1 TD to 6.4 TD, the increases are varied in peak periods, although in the case of electro-intensive (6.4 TD) They decrease significantly in all periods.
Transport tolls are reduced by 14% and distribution 2%; Therefore, the reduction is more pronounced in high voltage rates (up to 33% less in 6.4) than in low voltage (with a drop of 4% for domestic and 1.5% for SMEs).
Electrointensive
This segment is precisely one of those that awaits the evolution of electric tolls with the most expectations. Within the structure of the electricity bill, payment for network maintenance represents around 40% of the total of what users pay. This, in the case of industries with large electricity consumption, becomes a fundamental payment to carry out their activity.
Pedro González, general director of the Association of Companies with large energy consumption (AEGE), indicates that a 10% drop in tolls has an impact of 0.5 euros/MWh less on the electro-intensive bill. This, he acknowledges, is an incentive from the moment in which price increases in the invoice are managed to be contained.
On the other hand, González warns that industrialists run the risk of not making profits from the adjustments proposed by the organization directed by Cani Fernández.
One of the measures approved after the war in Ukraine was the reduction of the 80% in access tolls to transportation and distribution networks for this type of industry, subsidies that have been extended until December 31 of this year and that the sector estimates at around 100 million euros a year. The Executive has not yet commented on the possible extension, so in the event of a decline, industrialists could end up paying the same as until now or even more.
Explosion of self-consumption
Another of the forecasts that CNMC has detailed is that of self-consumption of facilities close to the network for the end of 2024. According to the forecasts of the distribution companies, this will increase by 38% compared to the real values of 2023, with a number of supplies that increases by 509%, from 2,646 points to 16,108.
In the customer section, the distributors’ estimates estimate that the year will close with 0.2% less supplies, up to 30.408 million – around 50,000 less – although, on the other hand, They estimate that the invoiced power in terms of MW will grow by 1% to 178,639 MW.
The drop is mainly due to the decrease within the residential sector, that is, those covered by the term 2.0 TD, which represent 29.63 million connection points and that they will decrease in the order of 0.2% this year. On the other hand, large electrical consumers, those that use high voltage lines, will increase by 0.1% (154 more industries) and will increase their electricity consumption by 2.3%.
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