What it is
Protection for people who cannot afford power and gas
It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 20 July 2016. Introduced by: Grupo Parlamentario Socialista.
Official title: Private member's bill on the protection of vulnerable consumers and against energy poverty.
Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000006· updated 11 Nov
Automatic summary, not yet reviewed
- The bill would guarantee vulnerable consumers an energy supply sufficient for their basic needs at an affordable price through a social rate.
- Vulnerable consumers would include, among others, people receiving minimum pensions, families where every member is unemployed, low income households and large families.
- The social rate would be approved every quarter by the Council of Ministers, at the proposal of the National Commission on Markets and Competition, and its cost would be funded through system charges or the state budget.
- Energy poverty would be defined as spending more than ten percent of the annual household income on energy bills to cover basic home needs.
- Suppliers could not cut off service to people in energy poverty without prior government authorization, nor during the coldest months, nor if the cutoff would endanger their health.
- The Government would have to approve, together with the autonomous communities, a strategy to eradicate energy poverty, with an annual fund and aid to renovate inefficient homes.
Who it affects
- Vulnerable consumers: They would be guaranteed a basic energy supply at an affordable price through the social rate.
- People in energy poverty: Their supply could not be cut off during cold months or if the cutoff would endanger their health.
- Energy supply companies: They would need government authorization to cut off supply, and the social rate shortfall would count as a system cost.
- Families in inefficient homes: They could get preferential loans to renovate and improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
Words worth knowing
- Tarifa social (social rate)
- A reduced, regulated price for energy supply aimed at people with fewer resources.
- Pobreza energética (energy poverty)
- The situation of someone who spends more than ten percent of their household income on home energy.
- Consumidor vulnerable (vulnerable consumer)
- A person whose energy use stays within basic thresholds and who is in circumstances such as receiving minimum pensions or having low income.
- Coste del sistema (system cost)
- An expense shared among all users of the energy system or paid with public money, instead of being borne only by companies.
It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries
Where it stands
How far did it get?
It took 2 of 7 steps. It reached Admitted, and today it is withdrawn.
- Introduced20 July 2016Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
- Admitted6 September 2016The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
- Amendmentsnot reachedGroups propose changes.
- Committeenot reachedA committee goes through the text in detail.
- Plenarynot reachedAll 350 deputies vote.
- Senatenot reachedThe Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
- BOEnot reachedIt is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 5 official steps on a timeline
Was there a plenary vote?
We have no plenary vote linked to this law in the Congreso’s data.
What happens next
What happens now?
Whoever introduced it withdrew it, or it was merged into another one. It goes no further.
Presented before in:
- X Legislature, Congreso de los Diputados· Rejected Bill to protect vulnerable consumers and fight energy poverty
- XI Legislature, Congreso de los Diputados· Unfinished Bill to protect vulnerable consumers and fight energy poverty
Sources
Where does all this come from?
- Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000006
Official title, type, author, dates and stage.
Retrieved 11 November 2026
- The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
- Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
- We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.