Millions of households in Spain have had their electricity cut off.
This year alone, nearly 1.5 million Spaniards, unable to pay the bills, have seen their supply terminated.
The number of disconnections has more than doubled now since 2006, according to statistics.
In addition to unemployment and wage freezes, electricity charges have soared by 60% over the last five years.
The average household income went down by 8.5%, according to the country’s National Statistics Institute.
As part of its austerity package, the current government slashed state subsidies to energy providers, driving up charges to consumers.
In September, the nation exited from its two-year recession, but unemployment at 26% is still the highest in Europe after Greece.