Mexico: Power outages continue to affect multiple locations as of May 8

Power supply disruptions continue to affect many states in Mexico as of early May 8. The National Energy Control Center (Centro Nacional de Control de Energia, Cenace) has declared an emergency; reports indicate that excessive demand may be straining the national grid. Outages have reportedly affected parts of Mexico City, San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo, Zacatecas, Veracruz, Puebla, State of Mexico, Chiapas, Queretaro, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Tamaulipas, Campeche, Agauascalientes, and Colima states. It is unclear when power will be fully restored. Reports indicate the outage has affected some gas stations.

Unplanned power outages may persist through at least May 8. Disruptions to business operations are likely. Blackouts could disrupt certain essential services such as municipal water distribution, ATMs, and fueling stations. Traffic disruptions are possible due to malfunctioning traffic signals. There is an increased security threat during power outages. Blackouts could adversely affect security protocols, including alarm systems and electronic fences; opportunistic criminal activity could increase during electricity outages.