Portugal is changing the rules for household electricity consumers. The key change is that if a customer disputes an electricity bill, the supplier will no longer be allowed to simply cut off the power before the complaint has been resolved.

Under the new rules, energy companies will also be required to offer a payment plan if a bill remains overdue for more than 60 days. For vulnerable customers, that plan must take the household’s actual financial situation into account. Disconnections will also be restricted during winter and summer peak periods, when losing electricity can be especially difficult.

Another useful amendment is that the social tariff will remain in place when a customer switches supplier, without the need to reapply. Large suppliers with more than 200,000 customers will also have to offer annual fixed-price contracts.

If your electricity is still disconnected after you have already filed a complaint, the procedure is as follows: first, contact your supplier immediately and ask for a written explanation of the reason for the disconnection. If there is no response, or if the response is unsatisfactory, file a complaint through the Livro de Reclamações Eletrónico and with ERSE, Portugal’s energy regulator. Under the rules, the supplier must respond within 15 working days.