How to know what electrical power to contract for your flat in Spain, when you need more, when you have too much, and what to check before changing it.
Contracted power ("potencia contratada") is how much electricity you can use at the same time. It is measured in kilowatts (kW) and you pay for it every day, whether you use it or not. Too little and the breakers trip when several appliances coincide. Too much and you pay every month for capacity you never use.
To work it out, think of the busiest moment of the day in your home and add up the power of everything running at once. Guide values: oven, about 2 kW; induction hob, 2 to 7 kW depending on the rings in use; washing machine or dishwasher heating water, about 2 kW; electric water heater, 1.5 to 2 kW; one split air conditioner, around 1 kW; fan heater, about 2 kW.
In a typical Valencia flat without electric heating, 3.45 to 4.6 kW is usually enough. With induction, an electric water heater and air conditioning in several rooms, 5.75 kW or a little more is normal. With an electric car or a heat pump for the whole home, it needs a more detailed calculation.
Signs you are short of power: the main switch or limiter trips when the oven and washing machine run together, or when you switch on the air conditioning while cooking. Sign you have too much: you cannot remember the last time it tripped and you have more than 5.75 kW in a small flat. Then you can lower the power and save on the fixed part of your bill.
Before increasing the power, check your installation. Every home has a maximum admissible power, shown on its electrical installation certificate. If you want to contract above that figure, the utility will ask for a new certificate, and for that the installation must be ready: cable sizes, consumer unit and protection to match.
A tip before changing anything: often the problem is not the power but habits. Scheduling the water heater and washing machine at different times from the oven is often enough to stop it tripping.
If you are not sure what power suits you or whether your installation can take an increase, Voltusal will check it and explain it with a written quote. Call or WhatsApp 624 76 18 77.
