The electricity bill does not depend solely on how much is consumed. A study by Selectra points out that one of the elements that is most increasing the electricity bill is the fixed cost associated with contracted power, a concept that gains weight especially among free market tariffs.
The analysis points out that, while the price of electricity consumption has moderated its evolution in recent months, the cost of power has continued to increase, thus raising the fixed part of the bill and reducing the impact that lower consumption can have on the final amount of the receipt.
The increase in the fixed term
The data analyzed by Selectra place the average price of power in many free market tariffs at around 0.18 euros per kilowatt per day.
According to that study, April 2026 marked the largest increase recorded in the last year and a half in this concept. That month, the average cost of power rose by 23.3% compared to the previous month, reaching 0.185 euros per kilowatt per day.
In parallel, the average price of electricity consumption in the free market stood at 0.111 euros per kilowatt-hour, which represents a monthly decrease of 14.6%.
The experts from the comparison site point out that this divergent evolution between the price of consumption and the fixed cost of power is modifying the traditional balance of the bill. Although the price of electricity consumption has remained relatively stable and has even decreased in certain periods, the average monthly bill has increased.
The data collected by Selectra indicate that the average monthly bill in the free market has gone from 51.34 euros in the first quarter of 2025 to 59.08 euros in 2026. This represents an increase of 15.1% and nearly eight euros more per month for an average consumer.
The effect of market volatility
The study on the electricity bill links part of this increase to the behavior of the electricity market. According to the analysis, given the volatility of the wholesale price and market fluctuations, many free market offers have increased the weight of the fixed term to stabilize costs and reduce dependence on daily variations in the price of electricity.
That movement would have caused the contracted power to gain prominence within the final amount that consumers pay.
Another of the points highlighted by Selectra is the behavior of many users when choosing an electricity tariff.
The analysis detects that numerous consumers compare offers focusing almost exclusively on the price of electricity consumption, without paying sufficient attention to the fixed cost of the contracted power.
This can cause a seemingly cheaper rate to end up being more expensive in practice if it includes high power or added services that increase the monthly fee.