Updated on: 18/02/2025

What is an electricity distribuitor?

Electricity distributors are responsible for transforming high voltage energy into lower voltage, to distribute it from generation plants to each customer's supply points.

At the same time, the distribution company is responsible for communicating to the retailer the energy that the customer has consumed and, therefore, what they should bill the customer. Depending on the fees that each customer has contracted with the retailer, different prices will be applied to this energy.

In summary, the customer cannot choose the company that supplies the energy, but they can choose the retailer that has the consumption tariff that best suits their needs.

Functions of an electricity distribution company

The main functions of a distributor are:

1.    Distribution: they are responsible for distributing high voltage electricity from generation plants to the customer's consumption points, reducing the voltage to safe levels. 

2.    Electricity supply: They are responsible for starting your electricity supply by providing the CUPS code and everything necessary for network access. They also carry out the necessary actions to make the supply drop, power change, or tariff change effective.

3.    Network maintenance: Distributors are responsible for maintaining and repairing the electrical infrastructure (cables, transformers, and poles) in case of incidents or breakdowns, to ensure a continuous and safe supply of energy.
 

4.    Measurement: They record customers' electricity consumption and report it to the retailers so they can issue invoices based on their usage. They also manage meter readings and provide detailed information about consumption.

Thanks to smart meters and the tools offered by distributors, electricity consumption can be monitored and controlled. If your distributor is i-DE, you can do this from our Private Area. 

5.   Customer service: Distributors offer customer service to resolve problems, clarify doubts, and help in case of power outages or breakdowns. 

How to know which is your electricity distributor?

When it comes to energy supply, one of the most common questions is: "Which is my electricity distributor?" Knowing this is essential to manage any query related to your supply.

 By your geographical area

Distributors operate according to assigned areas. If you want to know if i-DE or another distributor of the Iberdrola Group is the one supplying you with electricity, access our map of electricity distributors.

 Through the invoice

On your electricity bill, you will find key information to identify your distributor, such as its name, logo, and the CUPS code.

 Through the CUPS code

The CUPS code is a unique identifier of your connection to the electrical network. It consists of 20 or 22 characters, and by its first digits, you can know which is your distributor. All CUPS Codes start with ES00. For example, if your CUPS starts with ES0021, your electricity distributor is i-DE.

Identify the CUPS code on your invoice here.

The main distributors and their initial codes are:

 Calling your retailer

Another way to obtain this information is by contacting your retailer. They can confirm which is your electricity distributor. 

When should you contact your distributor?

To be informed if you have lost power:
 
If an incident or improvement work on our network affects your supply, we will notify you by SMS or email. Additionally, in our Private Area and app, you can get real-time information about what happened.

 
To check your consumption and power data
 
Thanks to your smart meter, you will find all the information about your hourly consumption available in your Private Area and through our app. You can also know if the power you demand is higher or lower than what you have contracted.

To connect to our electrical network for the first time

If you are managing an electricity supply for the first time, you will need to connect to the network. This step is essential to ensure that your home or business receives electricity safely.