# Buying a Costa Blanca South home: electricity bills and supply checks before completion > A practical guide to understanding the existing electricity supply and preparing the handover of a home in Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa or San Miguel de Salinas. By Verdi Estate · 22 October 2026 Canonical: https://www.verdiestate.com/blog/costa-blanca-home-electricity-bills-supply-checks.html ## At a glance - Match the bill's supply address and CUPS to the home you are buying. - Separate contracted power in kW, energy consumed in kWh and the other billed items. - Use a year's consumption history where available, alongside the property's occupancy and equipment. - Confirm supply status, required documents and the handover arrangements with the relevant professionals. What should you check about electricity before buying a Costa Blanca South home? Request recent bills and the supply-point details, understand how the seller used the property, and agree how the contract and meter reading will be handled. These checks help you prepare a realistic ownership budget and a clear handover in Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa and San Miguel de Salinas. ## 1. Identify the correct supply point Ask the seller for a recent electricity bill, with unrelated bank and identity details redacted. The Spanish consumer ministry's bill guidance identifies the supply information, billing period, contracted power, meter readings and consumption among the information to review. Check that the supply address actually corresponds to the property. The CNMC explains that CUPS identifies the supply point rather than the contract holder. Copy it accurately for authorised enquiries. In an apartment building or a property with a separate garage, ask which meter and contract serve each space; a bill for another unit or a communal service cannot establish the home's own consumption. ## 2. Understand power, consumption and standing costs Contracted power, expressed in kW, concerns the demand that can be used at one time; energy consumption, expressed in kWh, records use over a period. Note every contracted-power period shown on the bill and the corresponding charges. They answer different questions about capacity and running costs. CNMC guidance explains that the power charge remains payable even with no consumption. Review meter rental where applicable, taxes and any additional services too. A low-use holiday home can therefore still have a bill. Ask the supplier to explain unfamiliar items before estimating your annual budget. ## 3. Put the seller's figures into context Our recommendation is to request the previous twelve months of bills or a consumption summary where available. Record the days covered and ask when the home was occupied. A lightly used apartment's total is a weak guide to the costs of living there throughout the year. For each shortlisted home in Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa or San Miguel de Salinas, list the actual equipment: hot-water system, cooking, heating and cooling, and any private pool equipment. Ask whether shared services are paid through community fees. Compare equivalent periods and expected use; the seller's tariff and habits are not a quotation for your household. ## 4. Confirm whether the supply is active The CNMC distinguishes an active existing supply, a disconnected existing point and a new supply point. Establish which situation applies before planning your move. Lights working during a viewing do not explain the contract status or confirm that all necessary arrangements for the buyer are complete. Ask the electricity retailer what is needed for a change of holder, reactivation or new connection, as applicable, and request written confirmation of any proposed costs and next steps. Agree who will coordinate this before completion. Avoid arranging cancellation simply because ownership is changing; first confirm the appropriate process with the supplier. ## 5. Check the installation documents and planned changes Request the electrical installation certificate, commonly called the boletín eléctrico or CIE. CNMC guidance describes it as a document recording installation characteristics, including maximum admissible power. Ask a qualified installer to review the paperwork and actual installation where condition, alterations or future equipment raise questions. An electricity bill is not a technical inspection. Before assuming you can add stronger air conditioning, an electric-vehicle charger or other equipment, obtain property-specific advice on capacity, work and permissions. Confirm with the supplier and installer whether your intended changes require updated documentation; do not select a power increase solely from the home's size. ## 6. Prepare a documented handover and check the first bill As a practical handover measure, agree when the reading will be recorded and who submits it. With permission and safe access, photograph the meter identification and displayed reading, noting the date. Keep the agreed handover record and supplier confirmation with the purchase documents, and ask your adviser to resolve any outstanding-account questions. Check the first bill against the correct CUPS, holder, billing period and agreed contract. Use current written offers and the CNMC comparator when assessing alternatives, checking renewal terms, additional services and the total cost. Tell Verdi Estate which supply questions remain open so they can be included in purchase coordination; technical and contract confirmations come from the relevant provider and professionals. ## Questions buyers ask ### Will an unused holiday home still have an electricity bill? It can. CNMC guidance explains that the contracted-power charge is paid even without consumption. Check the contract for other applicable items, including meter rental and additional services, before budgeting for periods away. ### Does a low bill prove that the home will be inexpensive to run? No. Check the billing period, occupancy, tariff and equipment, then compare a longer consumption history where available. Your use and contract may differ substantially from the seller's. ### What if the home has no active electricity supply? Clarify whether it is a disconnected existing point or a new connection. Ask the supplier for the required documents, proposed costs and process, and arrange any technical review before relying on an activation date. ## Sources and further reading - [CNMC — Comercialización y suministro eléctrico](https://www.cnmc.es/facil-para-ti/que-hace-la-cnmc-para-consumidores/comercializacion-y-suministro-electrico) - [Ministerio de Derechos Sociales, Consumo y Agenda 2030 — ¿Qué debe aparecer en la factura de la electricidad?](https://www.dsca.gob.es/es/consumo/preguntas-frecuentes/que-debe-aparecer-factura-electricidad) - [CNMC — El CUPS, ¿qué es, para qué sirve y cómo obtenerlo?](https://www.cnmc.es/sites/default/files/editor_contenidos/Energia/Consumidores/3.1.%20El%20CUPS.pdf) - [CNMC — La potencia contratada](https://www.cnmc.es/sites/default/files/editor_contenidos/Energia/Consumidores/3.3.%20La%20potencia%20contratada.pdf) - [CNMC — El boletín eléctrico, ¿qué es y para qué sirve?](https://www.cnmc.es/sites/default/files/editor_contenidos/Energia/Consumidores/3.2%20Bolet%C3%ADn%20el%C3%A9ctrico,%20qu%C3%A9%20es%20y%20para%20qu%C3%A9%20sirve.pdf) Official sources checked on 22 October 2026. This is a practical purchase-preparation guide, not an electrical inspection, an energy-price quotation or individual legal advice. Confirm the specific supply and contract with the provider, installation questions with a qualified installer and purchase obligations with your independent adviser. ## Explore further - [Buying in Spain: the main guide](https://www.verdiestate.com/buying-in-spain.html) - [Understand the home's energy certificate](https://www.verdiestate.com/blog/costa-blanca-energy-certificate-buyers-checklist.html) - [Explore resale homes](https://www.verdiestate.com/resale-collection.html) - [Explore homes in Torrevieja](https://www.verdiestate.com/torrevieja.html) - [Explore homes in Orihuela Costa](https://www.verdiestate.com/orihuela-costa.html) - [Explore homes in San Miguel de Salinas](https://www.verdiestate.com/san-miguel-de-salinas.html) - [Discuss your purchase checklist with Verdi Estate](https://www.verdiestate.com/#contact)