The average price of electricity on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, rises again and reaches 138.85 euros/MWh for consumers with a regulated or indexed rate in the free market, according to data published by Red Eléctrica. Electricity increases its price for the third day in a row and is paid 2.32% more expensive than the previous day, that is, about 3.15 euros more than on Monday, May 11, when its price was 135.70 euros/MWh.
It is necessary to highlight that the prices shown here belong to the Voluntary Price for Small Consumers (PVPC) and this means that they are different from those published by the Iberian Energy Market Operator (OMIE), which reflect the price in the wholesale market and they are usually lower because it does not include concepts such as taxes and tolls.
The price of electricity plummets this Wednesday and there will be several sections below 0 euros
Alfredo García, energy expert: “The closure of nuclear plants would increase the price of electricity in homes in Spain by 24%”
When is electricity cheaper this Tuesday?
If we talk about the cheapest hour, this will be from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a price of 40.91 euros/MWh. The next section in which electricity will have a lower cost will be included in the two-hour period that occurs between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., with a price of €41.23/MWh.
When is electricity most expensive this Tuesday?
As for the maximum price of electricity, this occurs from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. with a price of 264.10 euros/MWh. It is also advisable to avoid the late afternoon and evening sections. Following this period, another period in which it is also important to avoid turning on the appliances is between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., where the cost will be €247.20/MWh.
Price of electricity per hour, Tuesday, May 12 (PVPC)
Taking into account the new increase in the price of electricity, the difference in amounts between sections changes compared to the previous day, and adjusting consumption to the cheapest times of the day can make a big difference in the bill. The following list shows the PVPC hour by daylight hour for Tuesday, May 12:
- 00:00 to 01:00: 136.63 euros/MWh
- 01:00 to 02:00: 135.27 euros/MWh
- 02:00 to 03:00: 130.80 euros/MWh
- 03:00 to 04:00: 130.02 euros/MWh
- 04:00 to 05:00: 130.69 euros/MWh
- 05:00 to 06:00: 132.94 euros/MWh
- 06:00 to 07:00: 154.34 euros/MWh
- 07:00 to 08:00: 172.30 euros/MWh
- 08:00 to 09:00: 188.78 euros/MWh
- 09:00 to 10:00: 154.29 euros/MWh
- 10:00 to 11:00: 158.16 euros/MWh
- 11:00 to 12:00: 130.77 euros/MWh
- 12:00 to 13:00: 127.05 euros/MWh
- 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: 112.57 euros/MWh
- 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.: 41.95 euros/MWh
- 15:00 to 16:00: 40.91 euros/MWh
- 16:00 to 17:00: 41.23 euros/MWh
- 17:00 to 18:00: 43.39 euros/MWh
- 18:00 to 19:00: 122.65 euros/MWh
- 19:00 to 20:00: 168.18 euros/MWh
- 20:00 to 21:00: 247.20 euros/MWh
- 21:00 to 22:00: 264.10 euros/MWh
- 22:00 to 23:00: 197.82 euros/MWh
- 23:00 to 24:00: 170.36 euros/MWh
“The closure of nuclear plants would raise the price of electricity in Spanish homes by 24% more”
Nuclear energy is once again at the center of debate throughout Europe. After the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, some countries are already thinking about closing nuclear power plants. One of them is Spain, which, yes, is thinking about closing them progressively starting in 2027 and not urgently.
And the immediate closure of nuclear power plants could have a direct effect on the price of electricity. This is what the nuclear science and technology disseminator Alfredo García said, who stated in a speech during COPE’s ‘La Linterna’ program that electricity “would rise by approximately 23% or 24% for homes and SMEs,” according to a Price Waterhouse study that has been echoed.