MADRID, 1 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) -
The increase in VAT to 21% on natural gas that comes into force from this month of April will mean an average increase in the bill of 4.12 euros per month in the free market, which represents close to 50 euros per year , according to data from Kelisto.es.
Specifically, the average cost of the bill, according to the company's calculations, was 41.42 euros per month in the free market in March with an average expense of 5,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. With the return of VAT on gas to 21%, the average expense becomes 45.54 euros per month.
This recovery of VAT to 21% starting in April - both in the regulated and liberalized markets - will be at least compensated by a price of natural gas that has not stopped falling steadily since last January in the free market.
Thus, the large decrease in February compared to the previous month stood out, with a drop of 8.68%, which compensated for the increase in VAT from 5% to 10%. In fact, rates are 15.70% cheaper than in October 2023.
Likewise, the rate of last resort (TUR) for individual natural gas drops by an average of 3.05% starting this Monday in relation to the price in force since the previous review on January 1.
For an average customer TUR 1 (kitchen and hot water) will mean a decrease of 0.74% in their annual bill with taxes, while for one of TUR 2 (kitchen, hot water and heating) it will represent a drop of 2 .76% on your annual bill with taxes.
Meanwhile, for a TUR 3 client (SMEs), the review starting this April will mean a drop of 3.69% in their annual bill with taxes.
Regarding the gas futures market, Kelisto.es estimates that "a few quiet months are predicted in the energy sector, although what has been experienced in recent years shows that a change in trend can occur quickly."
Thus, the futures market anticipates a price of around 27.50 euros/MWh for this month of April and 31.13 euros per MWh for 2025.
The relaxation of international tensions triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a warm winter and the good state of fuel reserves of the main powers after the 2022 crisis are the causes behind these low prices, the company added.
In addition, since April the measure included in Royal Decree-Law 17/2021, of September 14, on urgent measures to mitigate the impact of the escalation in natural gas prices in the retail gas and electricity markets, which limited by 15% the increase in the cost of raw materials included in the TUR, which was in force from January 1, 2022 and which had been extended until this review.
The end of this subsidy will thus make consumers pay real gas prices which, in any case, are recovering to historically normal levels.
The TUR for natural gas is a regulated rate that any consumer connected to natural gas networks with a pressure less than or equal to four bar and whose annual consumption is less than or equal to 50,000 kWh can benefit. Through Royal Decree-Law 18/2022, of October 18, its application was expanded to the communities of owners and energy service companies that provide services to them.
