García Ginerés neighbors again block street to protest blackouts
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García Ginerés neighbors again block street to protest blackouts

Two months after residents in a García Ginerés neighborhood thought they had seen an end to persistent blackouts, in came Tuesday’s violent storm. And with one lightning strike, out went Bertha, which is what one resident called the giant new transformer installed by CFE. Also out were lights on five streets — for more than 24…

CFE worker recovering from blast that caused Yucatán Peninsula blackout
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CFE worker recovering from blast that caused Yucatán Peninsula blackout

A 42-year-old CFE worker is recovering from serious injuries after an explosion that left as many as 1.3 million customers without power. Carlos “Sal” Balam Gutiérrez, a Pustunich resident, was performing routine tests at the Ticul substation around 8 a.m. Wednesday when it happened. An assistant at the switch apparently activated breakers at the wrong…

Opposition bloc from Yucatán helped defeat AMLO’s energy reforms

Opposition bloc from Yucatán helped defeat AMLO’s energy reforms

A coalition made up of Yucatán’s congressional delegation helped defeat a stinging defeat of the president’s energy reforms on Sunday. The constitutional reform would have guaranteed the state-owned CFE over half the market and nationalize future lithium exploration. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador described opposition lawmakers as traitors. The ruling Morena party and its allies…

Never-ending blackouts drive angry Mérida residents to the street

Never-ending blackouts drive angry Mérida residents to the street

A citizens’ blockade has diverted traffic from a García Ginerés street while a major blackout approached 48 hours. An apparently overloaded transformer exploded around 6 p.m. Wednesday, leaving property owners without power during a major April heatwave. Residents are fed up with power outages, including a current one that has dragged out into its third…

Widespread blackouts plague Mérida’s northern communities

Widespread blackouts plague Mérida’s northern communities

One García Ginerés resident has had it with the CFE, which provides Mexico’s electricity, except for when it doesn’t. As of early this morning, Mark Callum has been out of power since he heard an explosion 36 hours earlier. It’s a record length of time in a neighborhood handed more than its fair share of…

A day of planned power outages will include Centro, Itzimná

A day of planned power outages will include Centro, Itzimná

The CFE will cut power to several areas in Yucatán while maintenance work is completed. The federal electricity commission announced the following planned outages: Mérida Centro: Calle 57 between 62 and 64 Thursday 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday. Itzimná: Calle 25 between 13 and 15 Thursday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Telchac Puerto:…

CFE to invest billions to improve Yucatán’s energy infrastructure
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CFE to invest billions to improve Yucatán’s energy infrastructure

The CFE announced that it will invest US$4.5 billion to build new power plants in Yucatán and Baja California.  One power plant is planned for Mérida while the other is slated for Valladolid — though the exact locations of neither have been disclosed, according to an official CFE press release. The news comes on the…

Power cuts planned today in areas around Altabrisa, Country Club

Power cuts planned today in areas around Altabrisa, Country Club

The electricity commission is continuing its planned power cuts while it maintains its infrastructure. This time, the CFE is cutting power to the privadas and exclusive neighborhoods of northern Mérida. Power could be off at anytime between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. today, officials said. Several other communities across the state will also be affected….

After blackouts, CFE will build 2 new power plants in Yucatán

After blackouts, CFE will build 2 new power plants in Yucatán

The CFE says that it plans to build two new power plants in Yucatán, where blackouts have bedeviled residents for years. The new plants in Yucatán will be in Mérida and Valladolid and should be completed by 2024. In all, the government-owned power company intends to build six power plants across the country to meet…

Big business in Mexico moves toward ditching dirty CFE power

Big business in Mexico moves toward ditching dirty CFE power

Many of Mexico’s biggest companies including Bimbo and Telcel say that they have begun to move away from the CFE in favor of greener alternatives. Business leaders say that the decision is motivated by a desire to reduce their carbon footprint while saving money.  In recent years Yucatán has seen a boom in green energy…

Governor: The CFE must do more to avoid power outages

Governor: The CFE must do more to avoid power outages

Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal called yesterday on the CFE to do more to prevent blackouts.  In a written statement, the governor said that the power company must resolve its issues and ensure the uninterrupted supply of electricity to homes and businesses in Yucatán.  The statement by the governor comes a couple of days after…

CFE not happy with the growth of solar panels in Yucatán

CFE not happy with the growth of solar panels in Yucatán

The CFE stands in the way of businesses wanting to connect solar panel systems to the power grid in Yucatán. At least 900 projects involving solar panels in Yucatán have been halted indefinitely because the CFE has withheld essential bi-directional electricity meters, according to Yucatán’s small business council.  These meters, which by law only the…

People in Merida’s north hit with nighttime power failures

People in Merida’s north hit with nighttime power failures

Power outages in northern Mérida caused anger among tens of thousands of residents.  The unexpected interruption of electricity affected users in areas such as Francisco I. Madero, Juan Pablo II and Ciudad Caucel.  The outages began at 9 p.m. and continued into the wee hours of the morning.  Angry customers complained that although the outages…

More CFE meters dredged from the bottom of a cenote

More CFE meters dredged from the bottom of a cenote

The CFE is investigating how another 95 of its electricity meters ended up in a cenote in Yucatán. Over 100 utility meters were dredged from the same cenote in December. Removing or modifying electricity meters is considered a crime under Mexican law. Nonetheless, the vandalization and misuse of CFE meters are fairly common.  The penalty…

García Ginerés residents fed-up with constant power outages

García Ginerés residents fed-up with constant power outages

After years of unreliable service from Mexico’s power utility, power outages in García Ginerés continue to frustrate residents.  A protest staged last Friday blocked traffic along Calle 14 in the neighborhood, just north of the historic center. Organizers said that they have made several reports to the CFE but that their complaints continue to be ignored. …

AMLO gets his way: Thanks to new law, the CFE to remain a virtual monopoly

AMLO gets his way: Thanks to new law, the CFE to remain a virtual monopoly

Mexico’s senate has approved a new reform to the law governing the production and distribution of electricity. The reforms are described by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador as strengthening the state-owned CFE. Critics of the move argue that the new rules give the CFE unfair market advantages when competing with the private sector, especially foreign-owned…

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