CFE Cuts Power Outages 39% in First Half of 2026

Mexico's Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) reported that power supply interruptions fell 39% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2024, and 4% compared with 2025. Director General Emilia Calleja Alor presented the results at the Industrial Exhibition of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in Acapulco.

Calleja Alor attributed the improvement to the modernization of transmission and distribution networks, an effort she told La Jornada "is already beginning to show results," coming after a period in which the sector's attention had been concentrated on generation. She noted that the national electricity system requires networks that are "modern, robust, and intelligent" to integrate new energy sources, anticipate failures, and respond to natural hazards, a challenge that Hurricane Otis laid bare in 2023. "What matters is not only announcing what we plan to do, but seeing results on the ground, with a more continuous, reliable, and higher-quality service," Calleja Alor said. The utility added that state governments have requested faster modernization of distribution networks, the construction of new substations, and expanded electrification in remote communities, driven by growing industrial, urban, and e-mobility demand.

Distribution Deputy Director Gustavo García Huirache reported that the average time to restore service dropped from 24 hours in 2025 to seven hours in 2026, a reduction of 69%. Operations Director Francisco Javier Maldonado Ramos reported that during the most recent week, Guanajuato, Veracruz, and Jalisco accounted for 25% of all outages recorded nationwide, caused by storms, winds, rainfall, and contact between wildlife or foreign objects and power lines. The 071 hotline received more than 792,000 calls during that period, and social media support interactions rose 160% since June 29.

Calleja Alor signaled that CFE will strengthen predictive maintenance, automation, and remote monitoring of plants, substations, and distribution networks, in ongoing coordination with state and municipal governments. The figure to watch will be how outages evolve in the second half of the year and whether the transmission and substation projects requested by state governments advance on schedule.

This article was produced with AI assistance from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.