Los Cabos Blackouts May Cease With This New Announcement

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Last Updated 9 months ago

It’s been a long hot summer so far in Los Cabos.

Along with the normal summer weather has been the unprecedented demand for electric power in part caused by the increase in tourism demand at the beach resort destination.

This has led to a series of unfortunate blackouts, some as long as 45 minutes in duration, during the heat of the day.

The good news is, Baja California Sur authorities believe they have a way out of the issue, just as the peak summer travel season in Los Cabos comes to a close.

What Caused The Problem?

According to the Federal Energy Commission, they estimated the power demand in Baja California Sur this season to increase five to six percent this year over last year.

The actual figure in Los Cabos was double the estimates, at nine to ten percent, and the Federal Energy Commission was unprepared for the significant increase in demand.

Because Baja California Sur is the only state in Mexico that is not connected to the main national grid, it was unable to get additional electricity to meet the demand for more power.

The unprecedented demand for electric power in Los Cabos this summer is in part due to two unexpected situations – temperatures in the area near 104 degrees and record levels of post-pandemic tourist traffic.

Finding a Solution

The Baja California Sur Undersecretary of Civil Protection, Benjamin Garcia Meza, announced recently that additional power-generating plants will come online on August 15 to provide some relief from the blackouts.

However, other officials are doubtful that the new plants will completely alleviate the problem. The fact is there is just not enough electric power generation investment in Los Cabos in order to resolve the issue.

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As with much of the infrastructure in Baja California Sur and Los Cabos, the demand for infrastructure is outstripping the ability of the state and municipal governments to provide it.

Ongoing Infrastructure Issues

The success of Los Cabos as a beach resort destination has had some negative repercussions on the infrastructure in the area.

The electricity issues are making the overall infrastructure situation in Los Cabos much worse.

The lack of electric power has left roads in the area without stoplights, and other parts of the city have been left without water due to the blackouts.

A significant amount of the water used in Los Cabos actually comes from desalination plants that need a constant flow of electricity to extract salt and other minerals from seawater.

Impacts to Los Cabos Travelers

The good news is most visitors to Los Cabos will see little direct impact from the electricity issue while in their hotels and resorts in the tourist zone.

Most of the major hotel properties in Los Cabos and the surrounding area have anticipated a loss of power during a tropical storm or hurricane and have backup electric power and water sources already in place.

When the power goes out due to municipal electricity issues, the property generators kick in to provide guests with the necessary electric power to go forward with their vacations.

However, Los Cabos tourists will be affected if they happen to venture outside of their hotels and make their way out to the local beaches or neighborhoods.

Travelers may find that their favorite nightclub or restaurant may be without electric power.

They may also encounter delays in getting to destinations, such as the Los Cabos International Airport, when the stop lights and toll booths are unable to function without electricity.

Recently, the federal Mexican government announced plans to enhance the toll booths on the Transpeninsular Highway at the Los Cabos International Airport with solar energy panels to provide needed power in the event of a blackout.