PVPC or fixed price: 5-question test and habits table
The short answer: checking the electricity price every day only helps if you are on the PVPC and can shift large loads to other hours, such as the washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer or charging an electric car. With a single fixed price, the cost per kWh does not change with the time of day, and checking it daily saves you nothing.
What changes between the PVPC and a fixed price on your electricity bill
The PVPC (the regulated price for small consumers in Spain) has a different price for each hour of the day, and Red Eléctrica publishes the next day's prices every afternoon. That is why what you pay depends on when you use electricity, not just how much.
With a fixed price, the cost per kWh is set by your contract. Some contracts have a single price for every hour, while others have time bands fixed in advance. Either way, you already know tomorrow's price today, so checking it daily gives you no new information about your bill.
The useful question, then, is not "Is electricity expensive today?" but "Can I do anything with that information?". If the answer is no, checking the price every day is a habit that takes up time and changes nothing.
5-question test to find out whether checking the electricity price helps you
Answer these questions in order; if the first one is a no, you can stop there.
- Check which tariff you have: your contract or bill shows whether you are on the PVPC or a deal from the open market. If you have a fixed price, the daily price does not affect your bill.
- List the loads you can shift: washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer, electric water heater or car charging. The fridge, the router and the lighting cannot be moved to another time.
- See whether someone can switch them on: if nobody is at home during the cheap hours and your appliances have no delay-start function, the information is of little use to you.
- Consider whether the change disrupts your routine: hanging out the washing at night or running the dishwasher in the early hours with neighbours trying to sleep has a cost that does not show up on the bill.
- Decide how much time you will give it: if checking the price means opening several websites, you will give up within a few days. It has to fit into the quick glance you already use to plan your day.
If you answer yes to almost all of them, the habit is worth it. If only the first applies, checking it now and then is enough.
Table: how often to check the electricity price depending on your situation
How often you check depends on your tariff and how much of your usage you can shift.
| Your situation | Tariff type | How often to check | What to do with the information |
|---|---|---|---|
| At home during the day, appliances with delay start | PVPC | Every afternoon | Schedule large loads for the cheapest hours |
| Electric car charged at home | PVPC | Every afternoon | Choose the charging time for the next day |
| Out all day, no timer | PVPC | Now and then | Make the most of weekends and days off |
| A single price for every hour | Fixed price | No need | Review the contract only when renewing it |
| Time bands set in the contract | Fixed price | Once | Learn the time bands; they do not change daily |
How to check the electricity price without it becoming another chore
The best time to check is in the afternoon or evening, because Red Eléctrica has already published the next day's prices and you can programme your appliances before going to bed.
Combine it with the weather forecast. Deciding whether to hang the washing out or use the tumble dryer depends as much on the rain or wind as on the hourly price; the weather forecast and warnings topic has more ideas for fitting your day around the forecast.
If you use Madrugo, you can turn on the electricity price (PVPC) alongside the weather for your town and AEMET warnings, as explained in electricity price alongside the weather. That way you see it on the same screen as your diary and tasks, without opening another website.
3 signs that checking the PVPC daily is no longer worth it
If after a few weeks you have not shifted any usage to another time, the habit is not saving you anything and you can drop it.
- You check the price but put the washing on whenever you can: the information does not change your decision, so it is unnecessary.
- Switching on any appliance makes you anxious: small loads barely make a difference; focus on the large ones and forget the rest.
- Your schedule leaves no room for manoeuvre: if you work away from home and have no programmable appliances, checking it daily just adds another chore.
In those cases, an occasional check is enough. And if you are not sure whether the PVPC suits you better than a fixed price, the comparison depends on your circumstances: your usage, your schedule and the terms of each deal.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it worth checking the electricity price if I am on a fixed tariff?
- Checking the electricity price daily on a fixed tariff does not change what you pay, because your price per kWh is set by your contract, not by the hourly market. If your contract has time bands, you only need to learn them once, as they do not change from day to day.
- What time is tomorrow's electricity price published?
- Tomorrow's PVPC electricity price is published by Red Eléctrica every afternoon, with a different figure for each hour of the following day. That is why it is best to check it in the afternoon or evening, before programming the washing machine, the dishwasher or the car charging.
- Which appliances are worth moving to the cheapest hours?
- The appliances worth moving to the cheapest PVPC hours are those that use a lot of electricity and can run at a different time without inconvenience: the washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer, electric water heater and car charging. The fridge and the router run all the time and cannot be shifted.
- Can I see the electricity price alongside the weather in Madrugo?
- Madrugo can show the electricity price (PVPC) alongside the weather for your town, with the AEMET forecast and warnings, if you turn that option on. It can also add air quality, including pollen. That way you can check it in the same quick glance you use to plan your day.