With the hottest days of summer approaching the Spanish government appealed Thursday to people to use their air conditioning in moderation and announced new pricing tariffs to encourage them to do so.
"We want.. to encourage the responsible use of energy, especially with household cooling appliances, to moderate demand and cut consumption," Industry Minister Jose Montilla said when presenting a new guide on energy consumption to be sent to every household.
Household consumption accounts for about a third of the country's use of electricity. New tariffs will "penalise those who waste and protect the rest," Montilla said.
During summer temperatures in Spain easily surge beyond 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), away from the coast.
