gradually, small marketers light they drilled a hole Spanish electricity marketdominated by five large companies (Iberdrola, Endesa, Naturgy, Repsol and TotalEnergies). Fenie Energía, Audax or Factor Energía used to be used to ‘steal’ a few of them. thousands of customers to these giants. However, the war in Ukraine and the rapidly rising electricity prices, changed direction owned by commercial and ‘independent’ companies losing a customer for the first time. In particular, over the past year one of five users they left these companies and came back in the lap of electric giants.
Thus, at the end of 2021, there were 3.7 million users owned by the smallest companies. 3 million by the end of 2022According to provisional data released by the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) Vendor changes throughout 2022. In the case of big businessesThe process was just the opposite: Added 900,000 more customers to their listtotal 27 million. number for the first time electrical supplies Over 30 million.
Among small companies, Fenie Energy is the largest with the total 381,265 customers. This marketer had lost approximately 61,368 customers, which was 13.9% of its portfolio at the end of 2021. Javier Bescoswhat punishes them the most gas reduction mechanism it forced nuclear and renewable to return extraordinary benefits due to the increase in gas. Initially, this measure was sought TO COLLECT for money reduce the regulated portion of the bill for all consumers. And to this is added the obligation to auction 25% of the energies of these facilities to small traders.
Eventually, however, this rule was relaxed and a cap of 67 euros per megawatt-hour was imposed, causing large vertically integrated groups (which own manufacturing and marketing subsidiaries) to sign contracts at this price. This independent marketers Complain that it punishes them because when they have to go daily market to buy energy at high prices Compared to a year ago (between 180 and 250 euros per megawatt-hour), energy giants can offer their customers (by signing electricity sales contracts between generation and marketing subsidiaries) prices of 67 euros. advantage.
But that’s a thing of the past, and companies are starting to get back to normal as prices return to normal. “Now we realize we’re losing customers, but we are close to equilibrium month to month. Instead of twice the price difference, it’s now 20% more expensive. “We’re much more competitive,” Bescos says with some relief. Actually, last year trader changes jumped to almost 6.4 million Movements between companies compared to 5 million a year ago or 3.6 million in 2020 at an exchange rate of 21.5% compared to 16.98% in 2021 and 12.49% in 2020.
Among big companies reply By increasing its portfolio, it became the company with the best ranking. 300,000 customers, up to almost 1.3 million in total. Thus, the company managed to overtake. total energies (continued with 1.1 million consumers in its portfolio) fourth marketer in the market. leadership remains iberdrolahas been the company with the most customers in Spain for two years. At the end of 2022, approximately 10.4 million had 397,322 users; followed by EndesaAfter growing with 142,835 consumers, approaching 10 million and improvisationWith 4.3 million customers, 210,620 users. Among the five they put together 90% market share.
gas market
In the gas sector, they became the leading actors of the year. transitions from the free market to the regulated market, increased 15.8 times in the fourth quarter compared to the first quarter of 2022. In October, the government announced the increase in gas prices. regulated fare (known as TUR) and increased the number of consumers with this rate. From 1.5 million consumers to 2.1 million users.
Nature, Main gas marketer with 3.6 million customersIt retained almost the same number of users, losing about 140,000 on the free market but gaining about the same number on the regulated market. EndesaFor its part, it gained nearly 80,000 customers, almost all of which reached 1.6 million at a regulated rate. iberdrola Gained 70,000 customers going the regulated rate, until they accumulated 1.2 million customers. Once again, the smaller ones were the hardest hit, as 35% (around 153,185) of their customers fell to 293,988 users.