The price of electricity today, Tuesday, August 18, 2026, will once again outline a day with significant differences between the cheapest and the most expensive hours for consumers covered by the Voluntary Price for the Small Consumer (PVPC). The minimum will be concentrated in the afternoon, while electricity will clearly become more expensive at the end of the day.
What is the cheapest hour of electricity today?
The cheapest hour will be from 14:00 to 15:00, with a price of 0.0304 €/kWh.
The most favorable period of the day will extend between 14:00 and 17:00 hours, with prices below 0.04 €/kWh during the first three time slots. At 17:00 hours, the cost will begin to recover, although it will still be one of the most economical moments of the day.
What is the most expensive hour?
The most expensive hour will be from 21:00 to 22:00, when the PVPC will reach 0.3910 €/kWh.
Electricity will start to become significantly more expensive at the end of the afternoon. The highest prices will be concentrated between 19:00 and 23:00 hours, with values above 0.27 €/kWh and the daily maximum occurring in the 21:00 time slot.
What is the average price of the PVPC?
The average price for this Tuesday, August 18, 2026 will be 0.1870 €/kWh, calculated from the 24 hourly values of the day.
During the early morning and morning, prices will move in an intermediate range, before starting a sharp decline from 11:00 hours. The drop will culminate between 14:00 and 17:00, while the night will concentrate the highest values of the day.
| Hour | PVPC Price | Segment |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00-01:00 | 0.1977 €/kWh | — |
| 01:00-02:00 | 0.2008 €/kWh | — |
| 02:00-03:00 | 0.1986 €/kWh | — |
| 03:00-04:00 | 0.1870 €/kWh | — |
| 04:00-05:00 | 0.1819 €/kWh | — |
| 05:00-06:00 | 0.1896 €/kWh | — |
| 06:00-07:00 | 0.2013 €/kWh | — |
| 07:00-08:00 | 0.2253 €/kWh | Expensive |
| 08:00-09:00 | 0.2431 €/kWh | Expensive |
| 09:00-10:00 | 0.1846 €/kWh | — |
| 10:00-11:00 | 0.1615 €/kWh | — |
| 11:00-12:00 | 0.0991 €/kWh | Cheap |
| 12:00-13:00 | 0.0997 €/kWh | Cheap |
| 13:00-14:00 | 0.0993 €/kWh | Cheap |
| 14:00-15:00 | 0.0304 €/kWh | Cheapest |
| 15:00-16:00 | 0.0325 €/kWh | Cheap |
| 16:00-17:00 | 0.0374 €/kWh | Cheap |
| 17:00-18:00 | 0.1228 €/kWh | Cheap |
| 18:00-19:00 | 0.2178 €/kWh | — |
| 19:00-20:00 | 0.2770 €/kWh | Expensive |
| 20:00-21:00 | 0.3406 €/kWh | Expensive |
| 21:00-22:00 | 0.3910 €/kWh | Most expensive |
| 22:00-23:00 | 0.2937 €/kWh | Expensive |
| 23:00-24:00 | 0.2762 €/kWh | Expensive |
How to save on the bill this Tuesday
The best time to run the washing machine, use the dishwasher, cook with an electric oven, or charge a vehicle will be between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, especially from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, when the price will mark the daily minimum of 0.0304 €/kWh.
On the contrary, it is advisable to reduce the consumption of high-power appliances between 7:00 PM and 11:00 PM, especially during the peak at 9:00 PM. The difference between the cheapest hour and the most expensive reaches 36.06 cents per kWh, so shifting consumption to the central hours of the afternoon can have a significant impact on the bill.
The prices correspond to the energy term of the PVPC, the regulated tariff for consumers with a contracted power of up to 10 kW. Red Eléctrica publishes the values that apply hour by hour every day; they should not be confused with the wholesale market price, which does not incorporate all the components used to calculate the regulated tariff.