Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — As blackouts continue to hit Playa del Carmen and other towns across Quintana Roo, a key Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) project to strengthen the region’s power grid has remained stalled since March 2025.
Project 356 Stuck in Preinvestment Phase
According to the Mexican government’s Proyectos México platform, the so-called Execution of Works Project 356 — which includes building substations and transmission lines in Quintana Roo — is still in the Preinvestment stage, specifically the Preparation sub-stage. The project’s original tender, CFE-0003-CACOA-0015-2023, was declared void on April 25, 2024.
The initiative calls for constructing and commissioning 10 substations at 115 and 400 kilovolts (kV), with a combined transformation capacity of 500 MVA and 520 MVAr of compensation, along with 12 feeders. It also includes eight transmission lines at 115 and 400 kV, totaling 132.12 circuit-kilometers.
The delay comes as residents across the state — especially in Playa del Carmen — have staged protests and roadblocks in recent days over recurring power outages.
Submarine Cable Project Moves Forward
In contrast, another CFE project — code 0930 CFE: 354 SLT LT, the Playacar-Chankanaab II submarine alternating current line — is now in the bidding process. The tender opened on May 29, with proposals due by August 3 and a decision expected on September 1.
That project envisions four 115 kV substations with a total transformation capacity of 90 MVA, plus 28 MVAr of compensation and 24 feeders at substations in Playa del Carmen, Chankanaab II, Chankanaab Bancos, and Cozumel. It also includes two 115 kV transmission lines spanning 33.6 line-kilometers and 64 circuit-kilometers to link Playa del Carmen to Chankanaab, as well as distribution lines.
The submarine component — running from the Playa 88 area to Chankanaab on Cozumel — has drawn criticism from environmental groups concerned about damage to the seabed and local ecosystems.
While the larger Cancún-Riviera Maya infrastructure project remains in preliminary stages, the submarine interconnection is proceeding toward a contractor award amid growing electricity demand and persistent blackouts.
