Tamaulipas energy crisis driven by aging grid and electricity theft

The Secretary of Energy Development for Tamaulipas, Walter Julián Ángel Jiménez, attributed frequent power outages in the state to decades of infrastructure neglect and insufficient investment in the distribution network. Jiménez noted that since the 2000s, investment in these networks has decreased, leading to aging equipment and capacity shortages within the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE).

In addition to structural decay, the CFE has identified critical overloads caused by illegal electricity connections, commonly known as ‘diablitos,’ in Ciudad Victoria, Reynosa, and Matamoros. These unauthorized connections, often used to power high-consumption industrial machinery in residential areas, cause conductors to overheat and damage transformers, resulting in widespread service failures.

To address these issues, the state has announced investments exceeding 2.5 billion pesos. Meanwhile, the CFE is conducting surprise operations and implementing new, tamper-proof meters to combat theft. Under the Federal Penal Code, illegal connections can result in fines of up to 500,000 pesos and prison sentences ranging from three to ten years.