Peak, flat and valley hours (punta, llano, valle) and cheap power

Key rules

• Weekends: Weekends and national holidays are valle all day, so they are the cheapest time to run appliances.
• Cheapest weekday hours: On weekdays, valle runs from 0:00 to 8:00.
• Power: You can contract different power for P1 and P2.

The short version

Your energy is priced in three periods: punta (peak, the dearest), llano (flat, the middle) and valle (valley, the cheapest). Your contracted power has two periods. Moving use into valle hours cuts your bill.

The three energy periods

These are the weekday hours on the standard home tariff (2.0TD):

• Punta: 10:00-14:00 and 18:00-22:00.
• Llano: 8:00-10:00, 14:00-18:00 and 22:00-24:00.
• Valle: 0:00-8:00.

Weekends and national holidays are valle all day. The same periods apply on the mainland, the Balearic and Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla.

The two power periods

Contracted power (the maximum you can draw at once) has two periods:

• P1 (punta-llano): 8:00-24:00 on weekdays.
• P2 (valle): 0:00-8:00 on weekdays, plus all hours on weekends and national holidays.

You can contract a different power for each period. If you use heavy appliances mostly at night, ask your supplier about this.

What to move to valle hours

Run the big, flexible loads between 0:00 and 8:00, or at weekends:

• Washing machine, dishwasher and dryer, using their timers.
• An electric water heater or thermo.
• Electric car charging.
• Heating accumulators or batteries.

Watch for these:

• Noise at night, if neighbours share your walls.
• Fire safety: think twice before leaving appliances running while you sleep or are out.
• Contracted power: running several loads at once can trip your main switch.
• Prices: shifting only pays if your tariff's valle price is clearly lower than its other prices. Check your tariff before you change habits.

The FAQ below answers common questions on weekends, power and appliances.

Frequently asked questions

Are weekends and holidays cheap all day?

Yes, weekends and national holidays are valle (off-peak) for the whole day on the 2.0TD tariff. That makes them a good time to run the dishwasher, washing machine or an electric car charge.

Can I contract different power for different hours?

Yes, you can contract power separately for each of the two power periods. The first runs 8:00-24:00 on weekdays, and the second covers 0:00-8:00 on weekdays plus all hours on weekends and national holidays.

Which appliances are worth moving to valley hours?

Washing machine, dishwasher, dryer, electric water heater and EV charging are the practical ones, and most have timers. Avoid running unattended appliances overnight if noise or fire safety worries you, and do not go over your contracted power when several start together.