Moving into your new Portuguese home is even better when you have electricity and gas. There are several energy suppliers in Portugal, and it is now possible to sign up directly online. However, it's not easy to find your way around, and there are a number of pitfalls to avoid when signing up. I'm Lisbob, the expat assistant, and I'm going to show you how to sign up for an energy supplier in Portugal online.
Energy suppliers in Portugal
To start with, let's have a quick look at the different electricity and gas suppliers in Portugal.
1. EDP: The largest electricity and gas supplier in Portugal, offering a wide range of services and tariffs.
2. Galp: Known for its combined gas and electricity offers.
3. Iberdrola: A Spanish supplier offering competitive rates.
4. Endesa: Another Spanish supplier with attractive offers for new customers.
Each supplier has its own advantages, so don't hesitate to compare their offers to find the one that suits you best. Today, for my example, we're going to focus on EDP, but the other suppliers operate a similar registration process.
Steps to opening an energy supplier contract
Now let's move on to the steps for opening an online electricity and/or gas contract with EDP. Follow me and I'll show you how.
First, go to the EDP website at the following address:
This is the direct page for subscribing to a contract.
This first page invites you to send in your latest electricity bills, so that EDP can offer you the best contract and obtain certain information. Let's assume that you've just arrived in Portugal, and therefore don't yet have any bills to send. You can click below the green "Avançar sem fatura" button.
The EDP site will now ask you for information about the property in question. Is it a flat, a house or a building?
You must then indicate whether it is a permanent or seasonal dwelling, as well as the number of occupants.
The next question asks whether the property has the following equipment: gas-fired water heater, solar panels, wall-mounted recharging, air conditioning.
Once you've filled in the details, click on the green "Seguinte" button.
The next page asks you whether you want electricity or electricity and gas (if the property allows it), and whether the electricity is connected. If you are renting a property, it is very rare not to have electricity when you move in, so the answer will be yes, and you can click on "Seguinte".
The next page invites you to choose the service package you want. The question is a bit tricky, because you are under no obligation to subscribe to one of these three packages. You can either choose one, or click directly on "Seguinte" to continue your registration.
You must then choose the type of billing you prefer. Simple, bi-hourly or tri-hourly, you can choose the package that suits you best. Two- or three-hourly rates are mainly reserved for people who do their washing or recharging after 10pm or very early in the morning.
The next question concerns the power you want to contract. This choice is important because it's not common in other countries. The EDP website offers a small visual to help you choose the right wattage for your needs:
Next, the EDP site asks you to choose the method of payment for your bills. If you pay by direct debit and electronic invoice, for example, you will benefit from a discount of up to 3%.
You also have to choose how often you want to be billed: once a month, or once every two months. It is also possible to pay a fixed amount every month, with an annual adjustment.
The next page asks you to fill in information about yourself, such as your name, your precious NIF, Portuguese telephone number, email address and IBAN. This can be an IBAN from any European country, and you need to tick the little box and click on 'Seguinte' to reach the next page.
Finally, you need to fill in some additional information, such as the famous CPE code, the 'Código de ponto de entrega'. This is a bit like the identity number of your electricity connection, and is used to identify the address of the property in question.
This code must be requested from the owner of the property in question, or from the seller in the case of a purchase. All you have to do then is say whether you want to start the electricity and/or gas contract straight away, and enter the postcode of the property to be supplied.
The final questions ask you to provide some additional information and to send us some documents.
Documents required for a new contract with EDP
To conclude a new contract with EDP online, you will need to submit certain documents in order to finalise the subscription.
Whether you make the contract by phone, in physical shops or online, here are the documents needed to subscribe to EDP:
Individuals:
European identity card / Passport
Address and proof of address
CPE and/or CUI codes
Valid gas inspection certificate (if you are subscribing to gas)
Proof of IBAN (if subscribing to direct debit)
Businesses:
Certificate of business registration
Address and proof of address
CPE and/or CUI codes
Valid gas inspection certificate (if you subscribe to gas)
NIPC - Collective Person Identification Number
Proof of IBAN (if subscribing to direct debit)
As proof of address, you can use a bill or insurance policy for an essential service, a contract of promise to sell, a deed of sale or a tenancy agreement.
Once you've sent what you need, that's it. You will receive email confirmation of your subscription to an energy supplier in Portugal.
You now have all the steps you need to open an online electricity contract with EDP. I hope you found this video useful. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more practical videos on life in Portugal. See you soon!
