When we first moved to Portugal, we were stoked at the price of things in Lisbon. The cost of living in Lisbon is a mere fraction of what we paid in NYC. Everything here costs about 1/5th of what we used to pay. When we first got our EDP bill for electricity, we were pretty happy. It cost us about €80 per month for our 2-bedroom 100 square meter apartment. Imagine our surprise when we got a bill for almost €500 in January (the above image does not include the taxes which came to around 90 Euros). After I recovered from a minor heart attack, I decided to go to the EDP office which is conveniently located near Marques de Pombal Square. Here’s everything I found out!
How to Understand your Portuguese Electric EDP Bill
Estimated vs. Actual Reading The first thing we learned is that our bill was based on an estimate of use. Where they got this estimate, I don’t know. We had been in the apartment since May and we never had a bill this high. How can you tell? Click on “Leituras” (that’s readings). Below the red count, you will have one of two phrases:
Leitura Estimada
Leitura Real
If your bill says Leitura Estimada you have a chance. The EDP has estimated your bill. If it says Leitura Real, you’re going to need to head to one of Lisbon’s wine bars for a glass of wine (or two). What Happens If You Overpaid The young lady at the EDP office (who was awesome) told us we had two options:
We could have the overage credited to our account.
It could be reimbursed to our bank
She also explained that having it reimbursed meant filling out tons of paperwork and waiting a while, so we just opted to have the credits towards our account. This will take a week or two. You Pay More if You Use Electricity During Peak Hours There are three periods that all have different rates attached to them:
Vazio – cheap
Fora de Vazio – more expensive
Cheio – don’t know…if you do, let me know in the comments.
You Can Enter In Your Own Reading for the EDP Bill The reason the readings are estimated (according to the EDP office) is that there aren’t enough people to go read the meters. If you use the EDP app, you can update the meter reading yourself this way the meter readings (and in turn your bill) will be accurate. This is great so you don’t have to wait for them to come and do an actual reading.Difference between Vazio and Fora de Vazio for the electric billsThere Are Different Types of EDP Electric Accounts This all has to deal with how you pay:
Simples: Only one pricing type
Bi-horario: Made up of two pricing types – vazio (0.1652) & fora de vazio (0.20) this is what I have)
Tri-horario: Made up of three pricing types – ponta, cheias & vazio – this one is only available for businesses.
How to Save on Your Portuguese Electric BillWe love our Galp Hotspot, it saved us hundreds on our Portuguese heating bill
The EDP has bundle packages, so if you have both your electric and your gas, you get a discount on both!
Use the appliances that consume the most electricity during off-peak hours (dryer, water heater, oven or stove, hair dryer).
When you rent or purchase your home, check the energy rating. “A” is the best, so try to get as close to that as possible.
OR…buy yourself a Galp Hotspot heater. The actual heater costs around €125 (at end of season it usually goes on sale for €112) and the gas containers cost €30. You will have to buy the containers from independent dealers. They are listed on the Galp website.
Where is the EDP office?
1050-089 Lisboa, Portugal
It’s about a block away from Marques de Pombal. There are a few buildings that say EDP on them. You want the EDP Loja. It’s located at R. Camilo Castelo Branco 32 (on the corner w/ Avenida Duque de Loule). When you get there, make sure to pull a ticket to get help. Have other questions about understanding your EDP Portuguese Electric bill? Leave it in the comments and we’ll get back to you!
24 thoughts on “Understanding Your EDP Bill (or How Not to Pay €500 for Electricity)”
Denise
Hi, I found this article very helpful, and am fearful of trying to call EDP due to automated telephone machines and having no Portuguese language. However, I want to find out how much electricity is being used each month (actual) – because I believe that our property managers are using our appliances to do laundry/drying etc. Is this actually possible to find out do you think?
Yes, EDP will send people out to do a survey of your costs. They don’t do it by machine but if you ask the guy he will tell you the culprit.
Michael
Hey Densie….
I am based in Portugal.. EDP is quite good if you call the main number and ask to speak with someone in English, they will transfer you.. It is quite easier…
Another way would be to find your meter at home. Write down the KWh number at the start of the month and then do this again each month. It is basic but you can work out the total KWh consumption through some subtraction and Antonio is right EDP can not tell you anything more….
Blanca Valbuena
Yup. I do this monthly and around the end of the month enter the actual reading into the EDP website so that we are charged on our actual reading instead of their estimated reading.
I just got my bill for 15 Dec to 15 Jan and about had a coronary! My bill doesn’t quite look like yours–and honestly, I’m not sure what service level (?) I have. I had help setting it up–looks like I’ll need help understanding it! Yikes.
Blanca Valbuena
My advice would be to go to the office near Marques de Pombal and ask for someone who speaks English. They can help you over the phone too, but I find that here in Portugal, actually seeing someone gets you better help (I’m still getting used to this).
That being said, there are different options. I work from home most of the time (unless I decide to hit up a coworking space), so the plans that offer cheaper daytime pricing would not work for me.
I seriously recommend the Galp hotspot – it’s saved us so much money and keeps us nice and toasty. The place we order the canisters from delivers almost always same day.
Keep me posted and let me know how it goes.
Margo
I found this article so useful, and will be entering our readings on the online app. Thank you! I have a couple of questions, if you have any time. Does the gas/electricity discount happen automatically, or do you need to apply? Is there any one you know of who can come out and look at our system, as I worry that our meter readings can’t be right, as our consumption is so high. We are at Budens near Lagos in the south.
Blanca Valbuena
Last I heard it was immediate, but it is always good to ask so that you know that it has been implemented. And yes, the company that supplies you with the service can come in and check the meters, so give them a ring and schedule a visit 🙂
Andrea
Hello, thanks for the informations. I do have a question, if you have the time for it please. When trying to do the reading online, it requires as first step “Premise code” and “NIF”. I am a tenant, so I have to give my landlord’s NIF, that’s okay, I know that. But which one is the premise code? I literally tried with every code found on the former bill and also the one written on the phyisical thingy 🙂 but nothing let’s me go to the next step to actually submit the 3 numbers. So where do I find the “premise code”, what is it? (Also what I can think of, maybe it doesn’t work as it is not the official submitting time? as it should be every month’s 12th-14th, and now I am trying to just get into the system.)
Blanca Valbuena
Hi Andrea,
Is the account in your name? I’ve not been asked for a premise code. You should be able to submit any time of the month. I know that recently they changed my meter, so I no longer need to manually enter readings.
If the account is in your name, then you should be able to use your NIF unless it’s under your landlord’s. If it is, maybe ask them if they have a premise code for you.
Good Luck, Blanca
David Watts
Hi Blanca,
On top of my estimated bill, which doesn’t appear too unreasonable, EDP have added something called installments, which almost doubles the bill?
Do you know what this is about?
Many thanks, David
Elsa Pereira
Hey, Andrea,
I don’t know if you still need help on this, but I think I know what the Premise Code is. It must be CPE (Código Ponto de Entrega). is indicated on the invoice and is a unique code that identifies the location. Hope that helps. Elsa
Blanca Valbuena
Muito obrigada, Elsa. I did not need it, but I am sure someone else on here will 🙂
Blanca Valbuena
Hi David,
I don’t see this on my bill. Let me inquire around and see if I can get you an answer.
Blanca
Virginia
How can I get the EDP IBAN details? I am stuck in England because of Covid and it’s not fair to rely on friends in PT to go on paying my bills. EDP just keep referring me to the website.
Blanca Valbuena
Hi Virginia,
If you still have a Portuguese bank account you can pay your EDP bill through online banking using the codes on your bill. If you don’t have your Portuguese bank account, I would guess the best bet is to call them – these are the service phone numbers for EDP that I found online: 808 53 53 53 or 213 53 53 53 .
Hope it helps, Blanca
michael scholze
Hi there, We just got hit with a bill of 270 euro for electric and couldnt figure out why. We are renting an apartment and are not a buisness but have Tri-horario Billing plan ( ponta, cheias & vazio ) which you say is only available for businesses. How could we have this plan if this is the case? We did have to increase the power into the apartment because the stove would trip if oven was on as well as the hobs. Surely this cant be the reason we are on a buisness tariff, can it? What are the cheapest times to use electricity? The only things we use are washing machine, kettle, oven and water heater like most but would only really be used between 8am and 7pm Would appreciate any advice.
Blanca Valbuena
Hi Michael,
Ok. you have Tri-horario, this article is from 2018, things may have changed so that plan is now available to regular consumers too. Here’s the breakdown:
The electricity cost depends on the time of consumption. Electricity consumption can be charged at the peak rate, full or empty. Whether you choose the weekly or daily cycle, the schedule varies depending on the time of year (different prices per season)
Empty (vazia) hours: these are the hours when electricity consumption is cheapest. It is fundamentally the hours of the night and weekends, when consumption levels are lowest Flood (cheias) hours: hours when electricity consumption is charged at an intermediate price Peak (ponta) hours: these are the hours where electricity consumption is most expensive
Whether you choose the weekly or daily cycle, the schedule varies depending on the time of year. I’ve attached a screenshot of the EDP website explaining these options. Basically, if you have the Tri-horario, to save money, you should use your electronics during the Vazio times – night times & weekends). If you were using the electricity between 8am and 7pm, you were using your electricity during ponta & cheias – both time periods when electricity costs more.
I would reach out to EDP. Have them check your meter to make sure the readings are accurate. Increasing the power may have also caused the problem. The best way to figure out the answer is to call them. Were your EDP bills historically that high?
Wishing you luck with all this. Let me know how things turn out.
Your paying by direct debit which is the best rate for 1 kwh, If you paid the bill on demand you would not have the DD installments charge. . the only problem is that they pass on the direct debit charges onto your bill. 23% IVA makes a huge difference to the bill Potencia is another contracted part of the bill that that can be altered so to reduce the bill depending in what your max KVA is at any one time i.e if you have several appliances running a the same time and the KVA totals 4.5 you can most likely contract your popentia a little bit lower than 6.9 that most people set it at. Rememer their is a charge built into the electricity bill to pay for public TV.
Estimated vs. Actual Reading The first thing we learned is that our bill was based on an estimate of use. Where they got this estimate, I don’t know. We had been in the apartment since May and we never had a bill this high. How can you tell? Click on “Leituras” (that’s readings). Below the red count, you will have one of two phrases:
Hi, I found this article very helpful, and am fearful of trying to call EDP due to automated telephone machines and having no Portuguese language. However, I want to find out how much electricity is being used each month (actual) – because I believe that our property managers are using our appliances to do laundry/drying etc.
Is this actually possible to find out do you think?
Yes, EDP will send people out to do a survey of your costs. They don’t do it by machine but if you ask the guy he will tell you the culprit.
Hey Densie….
I am based in Portugal.. EDP is quite good if you call the main number and ask to speak with someone in English, they will transfer you.. It is quite easier…
Another way would be to find your meter at home. Write down the KWh number at the start of the month and then do this again each month. It is basic but you can work out the total KWh consumption through some subtraction and Antonio is right EDP can not tell you anything more….
Yup. I do this monthly and around the end of the month enter the actual reading into the EDP website so that we are charged on our actual reading instead of their estimated reading.
I just got my bill for 15 Dec to 15 Jan and about had a coronary! My bill doesn’t quite look like yours–and honestly, I’m not sure what service level (?) I have. I had help setting it up–looks like I’ll need help understanding it! Yikes.
My advice would be to go to the office near Marques de Pombal and ask for someone who speaks English. They can help you over the phone too, but I find that here in Portugal, actually seeing someone gets you better help (I’m still getting used to this).
That being said, there are different options. I work from home most of the time (unless I decide to hit up a coworking space), so the plans that offer cheaper daytime pricing would not work for me.
I seriously recommend the Galp hotspot – it’s saved us so much money and keeps us nice and toasty. The place we order the canisters from delivers almost always same day.
Keep me posted and let me know how it goes.
I found this article so useful, and will be entering our readings on the online app. Thank you! I have a couple of questions, if you have any time. Does the gas/electricity discount happen automatically, or do you need to apply? Is there any one you know of who can come out and look at our system, as I worry that our meter readings can’t be right, as our consumption is so high. We are at Budens near Lagos in the south.
Last I heard it was immediate, but it is always good to ask so that you know that it has been implemented. And yes, the company that supplies you with the service can come in and check the meters, so give them a ring and schedule a visit 🙂
Hello, thanks for the informations. I do have a question, if you have the time for it please. When trying to do the reading online, it requires as first step “Premise code” and “NIF”. I am a tenant, so I have to give my landlord’s NIF, that’s okay, I know that. But which one is the premise code? I literally tried with every code found on the former bill and also the one written on the phyisical thingy 🙂 but nothing let’s me go to the next step to actually submit the 3 numbers. So where do I find the “premise code”, what is it? (Also what I can think of, maybe it doesn’t work as it is not the official submitting time? as it should be every month’s 12th-14th, and now I am trying to just get into the system.)
Hi Andrea,
Is the account in your name? I’ve not been asked for a premise code.
You should be able to submit any time of the month.
I know that recently they changed my meter, so I no longer need to manually enter readings.
If the account is in your name, then you should be able to use your NIF unless it’s under your landlord’s. If it is, maybe ask them if they have a premise code for you.
Good Luck,
Blanca
Hi Blanca,
On top of my estimated bill, which doesn’t appear too unreasonable, EDP have added something called installments, which almost doubles the bill?
Do you know what this is about?
Many thanks,
David
Hey, Andrea,
I don’t know if you still need help on this, but I think I know what the Premise Code is.
It must be CPE (Código Ponto de Entrega).
is indicated on the invoice and is a unique code that identifies the location.
Hope that helps.
Elsa
Muito obrigada, Elsa. I did not need it, but I am sure someone else on here will 🙂
Hi David,
I don’t see this on my bill. Let me inquire around and see if I can get you an answer.
Blanca
How can I get the EDP IBAN details? I am stuck in England because of Covid and it’s not fair to rely on friends in PT to go on paying my bills. EDP just keep referring me to the website.
Hi Virginia,
If you still have a Portuguese bank account you can pay your EDP bill through online banking using the codes on your bill. If you don’t have your Portuguese bank account, I would guess the best bet is to call them – these are the service phone numbers for EDP that I found online: 808 53 53 53 or 213 53 53 53 .
Hope it helps,
Blanca
Hi there, We just got hit with a bill of 270 euro for electric and couldnt figure out why. We are renting an apartment and are not a buisness but have Tri-horario Billing plan ( ponta, cheias & vazio ) which you say is only available for businesses. How could we have this plan if this is the case? We did have to increase the power into the apartment because the stove would trip if oven was on as well as the hobs. Surely this cant be the reason we are on a buisness tariff, can it?
What are the cheapest times to use electricity? The only things we use are washing machine, kettle, oven and water heater like most but would only really be used between 8am and 7pm
Would appreciate any advice.
Hi Michael,
Ok. you have Tri-horario, this article is from 2018, things may have changed so that plan is now available to regular consumers too. Here’s the breakdown:
The electricity cost depends on the time of consumption. Electricity consumption can be charged at the peak rate, full or empty. Whether you choose the weekly or daily cycle, the schedule varies depending on the time of year (different prices per season)
Empty (vazia) hours: these are the hours when electricity consumption is cheapest. It is fundamentally the hours of the night and weekends, when consumption levels are lowest
Flood (cheias) hours: hours when electricity consumption is charged at an intermediate price
Peak (ponta) hours: these are the hours where electricity consumption is most expensive
Whether you choose the weekly or daily cycle, the schedule varies depending on the time of year. I’ve attached a screenshot of the EDP website explaining these options. Basically, if you have the Tri-horario, to save money, you should use your electronics during the Vazio times – night times & weekends). If you were using the electricity between 8am and 7pm, you were using your electricity during ponta & cheias – both time periods when electricity costs more.
I would reach out to EDP. Have them check your meter to make sure the readings are accurate. Increasing the power may have also caused the problem. The best way to figure out the answer is to call them. Were your EDP bills historically that high?
Wishing you luck with all this. Let me know how things turn out.
Blanca
Image here https://blancavalbuena.com/edp-bill-reading/edp-difference-between-vazio-cheias-ponta-electric-plans/
Your paying by direct debit which is the best rate for 1 kwh, If you paid the bill on demand you would not have the DD installments charge. . the only problem is that they pass on the direct debit charges onto your bill.
23% IVA makes a huge difference to the bill
Potencia is another contracted part of the bill that that can be altered so to reduce the bill depending in what your max KVA is at any one time i.e if you have several appliances running a the same time and the KVA totals 4.5 you can most likely contract your popentia a little bit lower than 6.9 that most people set it at.
Rememer their is a charge built into the electricity bill to pay for public TV.