CFE Secures Stable Summer Supply After Adding 1,486 MW in Combined Cycle

The Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) reported on July 31 that the National Electric System remains stable this summer, with an operating reserve margin of 14.76% during peak consumption. The Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (CENACE) projected a maximum seasonal demand of 55,600 megawatts (MW), one of the highest levels ever recorded in the country.

Preparation for the peak consumption window began before the onset of heat, with preventive maintenance, capacity recovery at existing plants, and new infrastructure coming online. "The summer window is prepared throughout the year," said CFE Director General Emilia Calleja Alor. During 2026, three combined-cycle plants entered commercial operation, contributing 1,486 MW: Elvia Carrillo Puerto (Yucatán, 499 MW), Manzanillo III (Colima, 346.1 MW), and González Ortega (641.4 MW); a fourth, Riviera Maya-Valladolid (1,020 MW), is in final testing and is already contributing to supply in the Yucatán Peninsula. In an interview with El Heraldo de México in mid-July, Calleja had already indicated that the company had the technical conditions to guarantee supply, with the same CENACE demand projection.

The strategy included 589 completed maintenance interventions in 2025, equivalent to 78% of the company's own capacity (46,560 MW), through which CFE recovered 1,559 MW for the system. So far in 2026, it has completed 227 interventions (20,754 MW). On the transmission side, the state utility completed 19 projects adding 384 kilometers of lines, and the National Transmission Grid now spans 111,254 km with 2,346 substations. The loss index fell to 10.52%, the lowest level ever recorded by the company. For the Yucatán Peninsula, CFE is installing 100 MW of backup capacity with mobile plants and has commissioned the Calkiní Dos substation in Campeche. The 2025-2030 Strengthening and Expansion Plan envisions investments of approximately 30 billion dollars and 23 projects that will incorporate approximately 12.6 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity.

The state utility has recorded no operational alerts so far in 2026, compared to 24 in 2024 and 3 in 2025, according to the report. What remains to watch is the definitive commissioning of Riviera Maya-Valladolid (1,020 MW) and the progress of the 23 projects under the 2025-2030 plan, which will determine whether the system meets the record demand projected by CENACE.

This article was written with artificial intelligence assistance based on verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.