Portugal's Regulated Energy Customers Face October Price Hikes
The energy regulator ERSE has announced that households on regulated tariffs in Portugal will see an increase in their electricity and natural gas bills from October. The average monthly electricity bill is expected to rise by approximately 2.7%, while regulated natural gas prices are set to increase by 6.4%. This change affects around 779,000 customers who were on the regulated electricity market in June.
The increases result from higher wholesale energy costs than those anticipated when the original tariffs were set. ERSE reviews these costs quarterly and adjusts the energy tariff accordingly. The regulator provides examples of how much more households can expect to pay: for a couple without children, the monthly increase is 95 cents for electricity and 91 cents for gas.
It's worth noting that not all customers will see an increase in their bills, as those on the free market pay prices agreed with their supplier. ERSE recommends checking suppliers' prices and using its energy price simulator to compare available offers.