Mexico: Electricity sectorDataElectricity coverage (2015) 98.7%Total Energy Generation (2024) 352,305 GWhOfficial report in the journal Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF) (code 5770297), by the Secretaría de Energía (SENER), on data from the Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (CENACE) of the Sistema Eléctrico Nacional (SEN), which is the National Power System, published October 17th, 2025. (retrieved April 1st, 2026) [spanish]Gross Energy Consumption (2024) 359,807 GWhOfficial report in the journal Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF) (code 5770297), by the Secretaría de Energía (SENER), on data from the Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (CENACE) of the Sistema Eléctrico Nacional (SEN), which is the National Power System, published October 17th, 2025. (retrieved April 1st, 2026) [spanish]Installed capacity (2024) 90.543 GWOfficial report in the journal Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF) (code 5770297), by the Secretaría de Energía (SENER), on data from the Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (CENACE) of the Sistema Eléctrico Nacional (SEN), which is the National Power System, published October 17th, 2025. (retrieved April 1st, 2026) [spanish]Share of fossil energy 65.0%Share of renewable energy 35.0% (hydro, wind, solar & geothermal)Share of nuclear energy 2.4%GHG emissions from electricity generation (2004) 114 MteAverage electricity use (2008) 1,665 kWh per capitaContinuity of supply 2.2 hrs interruption per subscriber per yearTotal losses (2008) 11% (CFE), 32% (LFC); (LAC average in 2005: 13.6%)Average residential tariff (US$/kWh, 2008) 0.106; (LAC average in 2005: 0.115)Average industrial tariff (US$/kWh, 2008) medium: 0.153, large: 0.118 (LAC average in 2005: 0.107)Average agricultural tariff (US$/kWh, 2008) 0.051Annual investment in electricity n/aShare of self-financing by utilities n/aShare of Government financing n/aInstitutionsSector unbundling NoShare of private sector generation 25%Share of private sector in distribution 0%Competitive supply to large users NoCompetitive supply to residential users NoNumber of service providers dominating 2: CFE & LFC (LFC now part of CFE, since 2009)Responsibility for transmission CFE (Comisión Federal de Electricidad)National electricity regulator Yes (CRE)Responsibility for policy setting SENERResponsibility for renewable energy SENERResponsibility for the environment Electricity Sector Law Yes (1976, last revision 1992)Renewable Energy Law Yes (2008)CDM transactions related to the energy sector 47 registered CDM project; 3.7 million tCO2e annual emissions reductions
The electricity sector in Mexico is federally owned, as required by the Constitution, with the Federal Electricity Commission (Comisión Federal de Electricidad or CFE) essentially controlling the whole sector; private participation and foreign companies are allowed to operate in the country only through specific service contracts. Attempts to reform the sector have traditionally faced strong political and social resistance in Mexico, where subsidies for residential consumers absorb substantial fiscal resources.
The electricity sector relies heavily on thermal sources (75% of total installed capacity), followed by hydropower generation (19%). Although exploitation of solar, wind, and biomass resources has a large potential, geothermal energy is the only renewable source (excluding hydropower) with a significant contribution to the energy mix (2% of total generation capacity). Expansion plans for the period 2006-2015 estimate the addition of some 14.8 GW of new generation capacity by the public sector, with a predominance of combined cycles.
Electricity Supply and Demand
Installed capacity Installed electricity capacity in 2008 was 58 GW. Of the installed capacity, 75.3% is thermal, 19% hydro, 2.4% nuclear (the single nuclear power plant Laguna Verde) and 3.3% renewable other than hydro. The general trend in thermal generation is a decline in petroleum-based fuels and a growth in natural gas and coal. Since Mexico is a net importer of natural gas, higher levels of natural gas consumption (i.e. for power generation) will likely depend upon higher imports from either the United States or via liquefied natural gas (LNG).EIA
Gross generation was 234 TWh that same year (not including cogeneration and autogeneration), with 79.2% coming from conventional thermal sources, 16.6% from hydroelectricity, 4.2% from nuclear power and 3% from geothermal sources.SENER Statistics
The expansion program contemplated by SENER for the period 2008-2017 includes the addition of 14,794 MW by the public service: 14,033 MW by CFE and 761 MW by LFC (Luz y Fuerza del Centro). Self-supply and cogeneration will add another 2,490 MW in new capacity. Total public installed capacity in 2017 is estimated at 61,074 MW, 40% and 21% of which would be combined-cycles and hydroelectric plants respectively. However, the deactivation of LFC on October 10, 2009, is likely to change this figure.
In 2009, 4,000 MW were already compromised (i.e. with secured financing). The table below summarizes the projects that are currently (September 2009) under construction:
ENERGY SOURCE LOCATION TECHNOLOGY TOTAL EXPECTED CAPACITY (MW) 2007 2009 2010 2012 External Energy Producers 450 450 CCC Norte Durango Combined Cycle 450 450 Financed Public Works 1,789 388 651 750 CC San Lorenzo Conversion from GT to CC Puebla Combined Cycle116 116 CCC Baja California Baja California Combined Cycle272 272 CCE Pacífico Guerrero Coal651 651 CH La Yesca Nayarit Hydroelectric750 750 Budget Implementation (LFC) 160 160 Distributed generation D.F. and Mexico State Gas turbines160 160 Total 2,399 160 838 651 750 Source: SENER Statistics
In 2024, total electricity generation in Mexico reached 352,305 GWh, while gross electricity consumption amounted to 359,807 GWh. As of December 2024, the installed generation capacity of the national power system reached 90,543 MW, of which 63.1% corresponds to conventional power plants and 36.9% to facilities based on clean energy technologies. Compared to 2010, total installed capacity increased by 64.3%, while the share of clean technologies rose from 26.1% to 36.9%. The installed generation capacity determines the maximum amount of electrical energy that can be produced.Official report in the journal Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF) (code 5770297), by the Secretaría de Energía (SENER), on data from the Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (CENACE) of the Sistema Eléctrico Nacional (SEN), which is the National Power System, published October 17th, 2025. (retrieved April 1st, 2026) [spanish]
Effective Energy Generation
Years Hydro electric Thermal 1 IPP's 2 Dual 3 Coal- fired Nuclear Geo thermal Wind- driven Total 2010 P 11,503 21,742 11,907 2,778 2,600 1,365 965 85 52,945 2009 11,383 21,731 11,457 2,100 2,600 1,365 965 85 51,686 2008 11,343 21,191 11,457 2,100 2,600 1,365 965 85 51,105 Source: Secretaría de Energía with data from Comisión Federal de Electricidad and Luz y Fuerza del CentroENERGIA
1 Thermoelectric power plants (residual fuel oil, natural gas and diesel) 2 Installed capacity of Independent Power Producers. 3 Dual power plants can operate with coal or fuel oil P Preliminary
Imports and exports
The external electricity trade is carried out through nine interconnections between the United States and Mexico and one interconnection with Belize. These connections have primarily been used to import and export electricity during emergencies. In 2007, Mexico exported 1.3 TWh of electricity to the United States, while importing 0.6 TWh.
Companies have built power plants near the United States - Mexico border with the aim of exporting generation to the United States. There are also plans to connect Mexico with Guatemala and Belize as part of the Central American Interconnection System. The 400 kV interconnection line Mexico - Guatemala was commissioned in April 2009 and has an estimated transmission capacity of 200 MW from Mexico to Guatemala and 70 MW in the opposite direction.Invest in Guatemala, April 28, 2009
CFE is not a part of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, though its transmission system in northern Baja California is part of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, and it also has a few other interconnections across the border with the United States.
Demand
Consumption of electricity in 2008 was 184 TWh, which corresponds to 1,655 kWh per capita. Consumption share by sector was as follows:
Residential: 26% Industrial: 59% (38% for mid-sized industry and 21% for large industry) Commercial: 7% Agriculture: 4% Services: 4%
Demand and supply projections
Electricity demand has grown steadily in the last decade and the Energy Secretariat (SENER) forecasts that consumption will grow by 3.3% a year for the next ten years, reaching 281.5 TWh in 2017. Demand growth forecasts have been revised down, from an estimated 4.8% a year in the projections from 2006, due to the expected effects of the economic crisis on energy demand.
Reserve margin
In 2008, the installed reserve margin (RM) in the National Interconnected System (SIN) was 45.8%, while the operating reserve margin (ORM) was 21.3%. It is estimated that both reserve margins will remain high during the 2009-2013 period. However, from 2014, the RM is expected to decrease to 29.2%, with the ORM reaching an 8.3%. Those values would be about 25% and 6% respectively in 2017. The commissioning of the Agua Prieta II, Norte II, Norte III, Noreste and Valle de Mexico II and III is essential to avoid power deficits in the northern and central parts of the country. However, irrespective of the reserve margins in the SIN, there are restrictions in transmission capacity that generate bottlenecks or the need to import power.
Access to electricity
Total electricity coverage in Mexico is 98.7% (2015). With 99.7% coverage in urban areas with more than 100,000 inhabitants; 99.3% in locales with 15,000-99,999 inhabitants; 98.8% in areas with 2,500-14,999 inhabitants and 96.1% in locales with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants.
Service Quality
Interruption frequency and duration
In 2008, the average number of interruptions per subscriber was 2.3 for CFE and 4.2 for LFC. Duration of interruptions per subscriber was 2.2 hours for CFE and 3 for LFC.Indicators CFE and LFC
Total losses
Total electricity losses in 2008 were 11% for CFE and as high as 32% for LFC.
Responsibilities in the Electricity Sector
Policy and Regulation
The Energy Secretariat (SENER) is in charge of defining the energy policy of the country within the framework defined by the Constitution.SENER The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is, since 1995, the main regulatory agency of the electricity and gas sector. However, CRE's attributions are limited since CFE (Federal Electricity Commission) and LFC (Central Light and Power) are outside its scope.
Generation
The generation sector was opened to private participation in 1992. However, the Comisión Federal de la Electricidad (CFE), the state-owned utility, is still the dominant player in the generation sector, with two-thirds of installed capacity. As of the end of 2008, private generators held about 23 GW of generation capacity, mostly consisting of combined-cycle, gas-fired turbines (CCGFT). Private generators have to sell all their output to CFE since they are not allowed to sell directly to users. There is indeed a commercialization monopoly controlled by CFE.
In the period between 1997 and 2009, CRE has awarded 22 permits for Independent Power Producers (IPP), for a total of 13 GW. Total private generation permits awarded by CRE as of September 2009 are summarized in the table below:
ModalityNumber of permitsTotal capacity (MW)Percentage of total national capacity (%) Autogeneration5896,1026% Cogeneration573,2554.5% Independent Power Production (IPP)2213,25019.5% Small Generation193negligible
Transmission and Distribution