Local power cuts are a regular feature in Mexico, especially during dramatic thunderstorms, and during wind storms which are most prevalent in months which bridge the seasons.
If you travel to Mexico on a package vacation, you’re unlikely to notice as most large hotels and resorts have power back-up systems in place; however, if you plan to live, work or retire in Mexico, you’ll come to know that localized power cuts are part-and-parcel of the living landscape here.
The effect of power cuts in Mexico
Power cuts can happen at anytime and can last from a few minutes to several days. They are more frequent during the summer months, and through the rainy season in particular, as torrential thunderstorms with lightning —sometimes accompanied by high winds— have a habit of knocking out local transformers strapped to lamp posts or affecting electricity sub-stations. In the case of the former, a street or two can end up without power; if its the latter, entire neighborhoods or small towns may be affected.
Mexico’s electricity company has been continually improving the infrastructure of the country’s electricity grid in recent years, and so power-cuts are far less frequent and lengthy today than they were in years past. When the power goes, the electricity company is usually quite good at responding—most of the time power-outages will be brief, or last a few hours at most.
Practical issues related to power cuts
When you’re living in Mexico, electrical power cuts may introduce a plethora of inconvenient situations into your daily routines. Some common issues can include:
- traffic lights suddenly cease to work causing traffic jams and car accidents (which add to the congestion in cities);
- food in refrigerators and freezers may be at risk if the power outage lasts more than a day or two
- convenience stores may have to stop trade if their sales counters depend on electronics: this is common at modern convenience stores;
- you might be watching a movie at home, which just got to the good part, or you may be downloading something from the internet: even if your laptop keeps working, the internet router shuts down;
- if you’re working in Mexico, your factory or office facilities such as computers, printers, modems, etc. may become lifeless objects of little use when the power goes.
Working from home
If you work from home part-time or full-time, or you you’re self-employed in Mexico, perhaps working in some knowledge-based industry where your internet connection and other electronic devices must be on-hand to serve clients and deliver projects on-time, the acquisition of an office-grade UPS device and a power surge protector will prove a useful investment.
A UPS is in essence a battery in a box that charges up when the power is on, and keeps electric-powered devices running for a while when the power shuts down. Retail technology supply stores in Mexico, like OfficeMax and Home Depot, as well as Amazon Mexico sell domestic and office-grade UPS devices which will keep computers, internet routers, and printers running for between 30-120 minutes during a power cut. (The longer the back-up time, the more expensive the device.)
If you must have your home or office or other business powered constantly, industrial-grade UPS systems, which include larger and longer-lasting power battery backups or diesel fuel-powered generators, are available from specialist suppliers (search online for options).
Beware of electrical surges and especially ‘brown-outs’!
A by-product of power-outages are power ‘brown-outs’ and power surges.
Brown-outs can be particularly cruel to your high-tech equipment because the drop in voltage can result in a lethal increase in amperes; it’s wise to disconnect key electrical items (e.g. technology, fridges, washing machines) in the event of a brown-out situation. If your electric lights begin to oscillate between their usual brightness and then dim, that is the key sign of a brown-out and a call to disconnect your expensive electrical items.
Spikes and surges may happen when the electricity returns after a power-cut. These can also damage electrical equipment, so another useful accessory for your home or office in Mexico is a power surge protector. Some UPS devices double-up as power surge protectors and/or voltage regulators, although you can buy voltage protection units separately (there are different grades which offer varying levels of protection) and use them in conjunction with your UPS system.
Keeping your Mexican home running well
You can find out more about utility services, including power supply in Mexico, in our guide to House Maintenance and House Security in Mexico.
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