Introduction to the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE)
The Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), Mexico’s state-owned electric company, has maintained an average operational reserve margin of 12% throughout 2025. This assurance comes after concerns were raised about the CFE requesting industries to reduce consumption during peak demand hours due to summer heat.
CFE’s Efforts to Maintain Energy Availability
In a statement, the CFE clarified that no user disconnections were necessary, as there have been sufficient reserve margins in the system. The lowest reserve margin last year was below 6%, and critical alerts are issued by the Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (Cenace) when the margin drops to 3% of the requested energy.
Maintenance and Fuel Supply During Low Consumption Periods
To ensure energy availability, the CFE conducted maintenance on power generation centrals during periods of low consumption, primarily in winter. In 2025, they performed 270 maintenance tasks, accounting for 27,923 megawatts—more than half of the daily energy consumption in Mexico.
- Maintenance tasks included scheduling fuel supply during peak demand periods to avoid service interruptions.
- Operational maneuvers that could jeopardize the reliability of generating units during peak demand hours were suspended.
Before reaching the peak demand periods due to heat, starting in May, strategic power plants (cold reserves) were kept operational to ensure system reliability. These additional plants represent up to 7% more generating capacity than the operational reserve margin set by the Code of Grid.
Furthermore, units previously out of operation during the previous summer were recovered, increasing the operational reserve margin.
President Sheinbaum’s Response to Industry Concerns
During her conference at Palacio Nacional, President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed concerns regarding letters sent to companies requesting adjustments in their operational hours to lower electricity consumption. She mentioned the possibility of analyzing if certain activities could be shifted outside peak demand hours, which range from 18:00 to 21:00.
Sheinbaum clarified that these measures are not exclusive to Mexico and are part of efficient electric system management. Industrial tariffs are typically higher during these hours to encourage a shift to periods of lower demand.
The president denied any risks to national production or the application of sanctions against companies receiving these notifications, stating, “There is no risk to production.”
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: What is the average operational reserve margin maintained by CFE in 2025? A: The CFE has maintained an average operational reserve margin of 12% throughout 2025.
- Q: What measures has CFE taken to ensure energy availability? A: CFE conducted maintenance on power generation centrals during low consumption periods, scheduled fuel supply during peak demand, and kept strategic power plants operational.
- Q: How has President Sheinbaum responded to industry concerns regarding electricity consumption adjustments? A: President Sheinbaum mentioned the possibility of analyzing if certain activities could be shifted outside peak demand hours and clarified that these measures are part of efficient electric system management.
- Q: Are there any risks to national production or sanctions against companies? A: President Sheinbaum denied any risks to national production or the application of sanctions against companies receiving notifications.
