Glossary
Contracted power (potencia contratada)
The maximum power, in kW, you can draw at once under your electricity contract. If you exceed it, the ICP in the meter cuts the supply. On the 2.0TD tariff it can be different in the peak and off-peak periods.
What contracted power means
Potencia contratada is the limit on simultaneous use set by your contract. It is not what you use in a month (that is kWh), but how many kW you can have switched on at the same time. If oven, hob, air conditioning and water heater together go over that figure, the ICP in the meter cuts power to the whole house.
How to find it on your bill
It appears under the power charge (término de potencia), in kW. On the 2.0TD tariff, for supplies up to 15 kW, there are two powers: peak (P1) and off-peak (P2). You pay for them even if you use nothing, so it is not worth having more than you need. As a rough guide, each contracted kW costs about 30 euros a year in fixed charges.
Usual values
The most common powers in homes are 4.6 kW, 5.75 kW, 6.9 kW and 9.2 kW. With 4.6 kW you cannot charge a car at 7.4 kW without dynamic load balancing.
When to raise it or lower it
Raise it if the ICP trips often with normal use, or if you are adding air conditioning, induction, an aerothermal heat pump or a charger. Many EV owners raise only the off-peak power to charge at night at 7.4 kW. Lower it if the ICP never trips and your power is high: it reduces the fixed part of the bill.
The electrician’s role
The power you can contract is limited by your installation: the individual riser cable and the main switch (IGA) must support it. If not, they must be upgraded and a boletín issued for the distributor. See increase contracted power in Seville, Spain.
Related services
Increase contracted power
You need to increase your electricity power in Spain when the smart meter cuts everything off as soon as the air conditioning, the oven and the washing machine run together. We check what power your installation can take, upgrade the supply cable, main switch and fuse board if needed, and issue the boletín so the distributor approves the increase.
Dynamic load balancing
EV charger dynamic load balancing in Seville, Spain measures what your home is using in real time and adjusts the charger so you never exceed your contracted power (potencia contratada). You charge the car without paying for more power and without the power limiter cutting everything off when the oven or the air conditioning comes on.
Need an electrician in Seville, Spain?
Call us or send a WhatsApp message with a photo of the job. You get a fixed quote before any work starts.