El consumo real sube en la hora punta.

Because consumo is a masculine noun in Spanish, so it takes el in the singular.

• el consumo = consumption
• los consumos = consumptions / consumption figures

The ending -o often signals a masculine noun, and that is true here.

Spanish often uses the definite article more than English, especially with general ideas, abstract nouns, and categories.

So El consumo real sube... can mean something like:

• Real consumption goes up...
• Actual consumption increases...

In English, leaving out the is very common, but in Spanish el sounds natural here.

In Spanish, most adjectives normally come after the noun.

So:

• consumo real = real / actual consumption

Putting real after the noun is the normal order. If an adjective goes before the noun in Spanish, it often adds a more subjective or stylistic nuance, but here the standard order is simply noun + adjective.

Here real usually means actual or true to reality, not imaginary vs. real in a dramatic sense.

So consumo real often means:

• actual consumption
• real consumption in a technical or factual sense

This is common in contexts like energy use, data, economics, or measurements.

Sube is the third-person singular present form of the verb subir.

• subir = to go up, to rise, to increase
• sube = it goes up / it rises / it increases

In this sentence, the subject is el consumo real, so sube means:

• real consumption rises
• real consumption increases

Spanish often uses subir not only for physical movement, but also for prices, temperatures, numbers, demand, and consumption.

The present tense in Spanish is often used for:

• general facts
• regular patterns
• things shown on graphs or in reports
• habitual behavior

So El consumo real sube en la hora punta can mean:

• this is what generally happens
• this is the normal pattern
• this is what the data shows

It does not have to mean it is happening only right now at this exact moment.

Hora punta is a very common expression meaning peak hour or rush hour.

In Spain, it is often used for times when there is:

• heavy traffic
• high demand
• peak electricity use
• crowded public transport

So in this sentence, la hora punta means the period when demand or usage is highest.

En la hora punta is natural and means during / in the peak hour.

You may also hear:

• durante la hora punta = during peak hour
  
  • a bit more explicit about duration
• en hora punta = in peak hours / at peak time
  
  • also very common
• a la hora punta is less natural in this kind of sentence

So:

• sube en la hora punta = it rises in/during the peak hour
• sube durante la hora punta = it rises during the peak hour

Both are understandable, but en la hora punta is perfectly normal.

Yes. Aumenta would also work.

• sube = goes up / rises
• aumenta = increases

The difference is mostly one of style:

• sube sounds very common and direct
• aumenta can sound a little more formal or technical

So both of these are natural:

• El consumo real sube en la hora punta.
• El consumo real aumenta en la hora punta.

It can be plural if needed.

• la hora punta = the peak hour / rush hour
• las horas punta = peak hours / rush hours

In expressions like this, punta often stays the same form, so horas punta is normal.

But in your sentence, the singular works because it refers to the peak period as one unit.