Electricity reserves have averaged 12% during 2025: CFE
The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) confirmed this Monday that the average operating reserve margin of the National Interconnected System (SIN) has been 12% so far in 2025, after being accused of asking industrial companies to reduce their consumption during peak summer demand times.
According to the company itself, last year operational alerts were for levels below 6%, and critical alerts are issued by the National Energy Control Center (Cenace) when this margin, which is available energy, reaches 3% of the requested energy.
In a statement, the state-owned utility said that "it has not been necessary to disconnect users, as sufficient reserve margin conditions have been maintained in the system," although at the most critical moment, June 9 (the day peak demand of 52,945 megawatts occurred), the operating reserve margin was 9.69 percent.
For its part, the Baja California System presented its highest demand on July 10, with 3,398 megawatts and a reserve margin of 16.7%; while in the Baja California Sur System, under maximum demand conditions, the operating reserve margin was 11.8%, "demonstrating that the national electricity system (as a whole) has not been at risk of operation under any circumstances," explained the CFE.
The CFE also stated that, in order to guarantee energy availability, maintenance of generating plants was carried out during periods of the year when energy consumption decreases, primarily during the winter.
Through 2025, 270 maintenance projects will have been performed, representing 27,923 megawatts, equivalent to just over half of the energy consumed daily in the country.
Fuel supplies were also scheduled during periods of peak demand, ensuring that they would not cause interruptions in the electricity service. Operational maneuvers that could jeopardize the operational reliability of the Generating Units were suspended during peak hours of peak demand for the electrical system.
Before reaching the peak heat demand periods, which began in May, efforts were made to maintain operating conditions at strategic power plants (such as cold reserves) that may require power delivery for system reliability. The CFE explained that these plants are in addition to what is considered within the operating reserve margin established by the Grid Code and represent up to 7% additional electricity generation capacity.
Finally, the recovery of generating units that were out of operation last summer was sought, which has allowed the operating reserve margin to be increased.
In her press conference at the National Palace, President Claudia Sheinbaum said that regarding the letters sent to businesses asking them to consider adjusting their operating hours by reducing their electricity consumption, they intend to analyze whether certain activities could be moved outside of peak demand hours, which run from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The president explained that these types of measures are not unique to Mexico and are part of efficient management of the electricity system, since industrial rates are typically higher during this time period to encourage switching to periods of lower demand.
Sheinbaum denied that there is a risk to national production or that sanctions or punishments are being applied to those who receive these notifications. "Nor is production at risk," she stated.
Eleconomista
