Yucatán May Bring Back Daylight Saving Time for Energy Boost

Yucatán, Mexico — Nearly three years after former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador abolished Daylight Saving Time nationwide in 2022, Yucatán is exploring a proposal to move its clocks forward by one hour. Unlike the previous federal mandate, this initiative stems from local energy sector concerns rather than national policy.

A Bid to Align with Quintana Roo’s Time Zone

The proposed change would shift Yucatán from its current time zone (UTC–6) to the southeastern time zone (UTC–5), matching Quintana Roo’s schedule, which has been in place since 2015. While Quintana Roo’s time adjustment was driven by tourism interests, Yucatán’s push is rooted in technical energy needs.

The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) formally recommended the adjustment to optimize solar energy generation during peak afternoon hours. According to Pablo Gamboa Miner, head of the Yucatán Energy Agency, advancing the clocks would extend the operational window of the state’s solar parks, allowing them to remain productive past 7:30 p.m.

Legislative and Logistical Hurdles

For the change to take effect, the Yucatán Congress must first approve an initiative requesting the return to Daylight Saving Time. The proposal would then undergo evaluation by the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of the Interior, which would issue the final decree.

The proposal emerges amid a severe energy supply crisis in the region. Despite over $2.2 billion invested in recent years in new combined-cycle power plants—such as the Mérida IV and Valladolid IV facilities, developed by Mitsubishi Power—these plants remain inactive due to a lack of gas pipeline infrastructure.

Energy Demand Outpaces Supply

Installed capacity in the Yucatán Peninsula stands at approximately 1,837 megawatts, but demand has surged beyond 3,500 megawatts, driven by urban expansion, tourism, and industrial growth, according to the National Electric System Reliability Plan. The CFE has warned that without progress on infrastructure projects, scheduled power outages may be necessary to prevent system failures.

This week, Yucatán Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena met with Energy Secretary Luz Elena González Escobar and CFE executives to discuss the state’s energy challenges. Topics included renewable energy transitions, transmission network expansion, and investment frameworks to ensure reliable coverage and cost reductions.

The Ministry of Energy reaffirmed Yucatán’s status as a priority for national energy development, citing its renewable energy potential and rising demand. Over 1,200 megawatts of new solar and wind projects are currently under development in the region, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Yucatán Energy Agency.

Economic and Operational Benefits

The time zone adjustment is seen as a low-cost measure to alleviate grid strain by maximizing solar resources. The idea has circulated for over a decade, particularly among tourism and nightlife businesses advocating for alignment with Quintana Roo.

A unified time zone would streamline operations between the two states, facilitating tourist routes, logistics, archaeological site visits, and scheduling for the Mayan Train, which connects key destinations in both regions. Airlines, tour operators, and logistics firms would also benefit from eliminating the current one-hour discrepancy.

Quintana Roo’s 2015 time change, aimed at extending daylight for tourists, offers a precedent. While adjustments were required, the move bolstered Cancún and the Riviera Maya’s competitive edge.

A Broader Energy Dilemma

Beyond the time zone debate, Yucatán faces a structural challenge: ensuring stable, clean, and sufficient energy for a rapidly growing region. The proposed clock change is one step toward addressing these systemic issues, but long-term solutions will depend on infrastructure development and renewable energy integration.