Background on the Issue
In Querétaro, Mexico, the industrial sector faces a persistent challenge in ensuring a stable electricity supply. This issue becomes more pressing when power outages disrupt production, leading to additional costs and potential damages to machinery. The president of the Energy Commission of the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry (Canacintra) in Querétaro, Francisco Beltrán Arellano, has highlighted the need for alternative solutions.
The Impact of Energy Shortages
Francisco Beltrán Arellano explained that the lack of quality energy and poor distribution, including power outages, negatively affect industrial production. He mentioned that low or high voltage at different times can harm motors and autonomous systems within companies.
Rising Energy Demand
The industrial sector is grappling with a serious energy demand problem. In August, they anticipated increased temperatures that would saturate the electrical system due to the overload from cooling equipment. However, they managed to avoid the worst-case scenarios.
“The problem is that there isn’t enough energy. We were expecting very high temperatures this month of August, which would have caused the operational demand to plummet and result in power outages like last year. But it seems that the operational demand didn’t drop below 7-8%, so we might have a relatively calm year. Nevertheless, there are constant discussions about power outages in all industrial parks due to the lack of maintenance from CFE,” Beltrán Arellano stated.
Proposed Solutions
To address these challenges, the industrial sector proposes relaxing conditions for companies to generate their own electricity through distributed generation systems. This approach could alleviate pressure on the energy system and promote industrial self-sufficiency.
“We need CFE to invest more in energy distribution infrastructure, but we understand that these options are expensive,” Beltrán Arellano said. “The ideal solution would be to install medium-voltage substations, enabling better transport of the country’s energy production. However, this requires significant financial investment and logistical complexity.”
Distributed Generation Alternatives
Currently, CFE’s distributed generation option only allows for up to 0.7 megawatts (700 kilowatts) for businesses. Beltrán Arellano suggested expanding this limit, similar to regulations in Chile, Argentina, and Colombia, which allow up to 3 megawatts. This change would enable businesses to generate their own energy, reducing demand on CFE and potentially supplying residential units.
Urgent Need for Energy Alternatives
Ricardo Zaldumbide Ceceña, vicepresident of the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment, and Technology (Comce) in the Bajio region, emphasized the urgent need for energy supply alternatives. These are crucial not only for supporting business growth plans but also for meeting current energy needs.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main challenge faced by Querétaro’s industrial sector? The persistent issue is ensuring a stable electricity supply, which becomes more critical during power outages that disrupt production and incur additional costs.
- What solutions has the industrial sector proposed? The sector suggests relaxing conditions for distributed generation, allowing businesses to produce their own electricity and reduce pressure on the energy system.
- What are the current limitations of CFE’s distributed generation option? Currently, it only permits up to 0.7 megawatts (700 kilowatts) for businesses, which the industrial sector believes should be expanded.
- Why is investing in energy distribution infrastructure important? Investing in substations and transmission lines would improve the transport of energy produced across the country, addressing the current supply challenges.
- What is the urgency in finding energy alternatives? The industrial sector requires reliable energy supply options to support business growth and meet current energy needs amidst an unstable energy situation and significant deficits.
