Spanish Parliament Approves Energy Saving Plan

Lawmakers voted in favour of the decree, which went into effect on August 10th, but needed parliament's green light to remain in force.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's coalition government lacks most in parliament, but it managed to pass rules with the support of smaller regional parties.

Under the government's decree, air conditioning should be reduced and placed to no lower than 27 degrees Celsius during the warmer months of the year, in rules affecting everything, from public transportation to shops, offices, theatres and cinemas.

New regulations do not apply to air conditioning at home, though citizens are encouraged to save energy.

During the summer months, temperatures throughout Spain often reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit [40 ° C] or more.

The legislation also affects warming in winter, when temperatures are no more than 19 degrees Celsius.

The decree also requires that stores turn off lighting, which also affect public buildings.

By the end of September, any air - conditioned or heating environment should have an automatic door - closing mechanism installed to avoid energy loss.

The main opposition conservative party, the People's Party (PP), voted against the measures, calling many of them <x1 improvised “and harmful to the economy.

Among the most critical has been Madrid's regional leader, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, a growing political right star who has vowed to reject measures at Spain's Constitutional Court. /Rel