Change for the better for consumers covered by the Last Resort Gas Rate, known as TUR. As of this April 1, the bill will be cheaper by 30% on average with the new prices in force announced this Thursday by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
The drop is due to the “sharp decrease” in the tariff calculation formula, as the price of gas falls, and due to the payment through the General State Budget of the accumulated debt -more than 300 million- for the measures against the impact on energy of the war in Ukraine, is explained from the ministry.
The price of the raw material, natural gas, is reduced by 49%, from 5.23 cents/kWh to 2.68 cents/kWh. What will this mean for consumers?
The TUR is reviewed every three months, on January 1, April, July and October, whenever the raw material varies more than 2% upwards or downwards compared to the previous quarter. Currently the rate can go up a maximum of 15%. In order to cover the deficit between the real cost of the TUR and that which is transferred to consumers, since the limit exists, a credit of 3,000 million euros was approved, charged to the General State Budget to gradually compensate the companies. From October, when it was approved, to January, 354 million euros have been paid to the marketers that offer the TUR.
Consumers connected to the natural gas networks with a consumption of less than 50,000 kWh per year are eligible for the rate. Currently 2.5 million households and SMEs have it. Since last October, households have saved between 100 and 300 euros in annual terms with the Government’s measures, according to calculations by Ecological Transition. For companies it rises to 700 euros.
