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Last Friday evening a major power outage occurred in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and even extended to parts of Chetumal. The power was out for quite a few hours, it wasn’t until past midnight on Saturday that things went back to normal. The incident affected the main hotel zones in both Cancun, and Playa del Carmen, experts indicate that it could be a common theme throughout the next couple of months as the temperature continues to rise. Rising temperature leads to a rise in overall power usage. This can overwhelm the local electric grid so much so that the current facilities can’t handle the output needs. Thus these major power outages occur.
The Issue Can Indirectly Affect Tourists In Cancun & Playa del Carmen
Tourists that were spending the weekend at resorts in both Cancun and Playa del Carmen may have not even realized that the power had gone out on Friday. This is because virtually all of the top facilities within the hotel zone feature backup generators that will step in and provide power to these facilities in the event of a power outage. The fact that tourists may not necessarily be aware of the power outages may be a two-edged sword.
As mentioned, with the temperature continuing to rise experts anticipate that more power outages in Quintana Roo’s main cities will take place. The reason why it can be detrimental to not be aware of power outages is because tourists may walk into a restaurant that has been affected by the power outage, and is selling food that hasn’t been properly refrigerated.
If electricity issues continue to take place it may be wise to stick with dining options that are located within large hotel complexes. This can provide travelers with the certainty that the food on their table was properly stored before being served to them. Going a long way in avoiding all sorts of stomach related illnesses, which are sadly common for international travelers visiting Mexico. Particularly for those who want to try out the local street food.
An Outdated Electrical Grid May Be To Blame For Power Outages
External consulting firms have pointed this issue out to authorities on previous occasions. Federico Mucino Garcia general director of consulting firm Epscon had this to say about the issues with the electrical grid,
“For a few years now, particularly in the 2018-2019 summer we’ve seen problems because of the increase in energy consumption due to the high temperatures. This is an issue primarily seen in the north part of the country. The demand for energy grows because people use air conditioning and refrigeration devices excessively.”
This is an issue that had primarily plagued northern Mexican states like Nuevo Leon, and Coahuila. However, in more recent days, the issue has spread virtually throughout the whole country with states like Morelos and Puebla seeing power outages of their own. Now, the entire Yucatan Peninsula, where Cancun is located, is the newest region to report power outage issues. Experts claim that the lack of investments on updates to the electrical grid are the main reason why these issues are taking place. The outdated facilities just can’t meet the growing energy demand, this causes the grid to get overrun from time to time.
No Official Power Cuts Have Been Announced
In other parts of the world when city power grids are overrun governments have resorted to programmed power cuts in certain parts of the cities to maintain the grid’s stability. As of this moment no official programmed power cuts in the Cancun region have been announced. However, it’s entirely possible that power outages will continue to be a common occurrence. Particularly as temperatures remain on the raise as summer approaches. Staying within hotel grounds, especially for meals, may be the best course of action for tourists moving forward.
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