Grid strain in Mexico causes 24-hour Playa del Carmen blackouts

What’s happening in Playa del Carmen’s grid

Parts of Playa del Carmen, in Quintana Roo, lost power for about 24 hours in early May and outages were still being reported by May 9, City Hall said it was coordinating with the Federal Electricity Commission or CFE, to deal with the recurring failures. CFE has pointed to substation problems, including a BUS 115 kV element failure at the Playa del Carmen substation, as crews carried out standard repairs.

The cuts hit businesses, residents and tourist services, with reports of internet disruptions and major losses for local shops and operators. Officials and local reports said the wider Riviera Maya grid is under strain from demand tied to tourism and rapid growth. nomad news

Why nomads and visitors felt it hardest

Remote workers, expats and digital nomads were among the hardest hit because the blackout took out both power and internet in affected areas. People relying on coworking spaces, home setups or mobile backups faced a full stop, while hotels, ATMs and traffic systems in Solidaridad and nearby Cozumel also saw disruptions.

One early May outage affected more than 286,000 users and earlier incidents in the area were restored more quickly. The repeated failures leave little room for normal workdays when the grid drops without much warning.

What to do if you’re in the area

If you’re staying in Playa del Carmen or nearby, keep a backup plan ready for both electricity and connectivity. That means charged power banks, offline work files and a secondary internet option if you depend on remote work.

City Hall is still pressing CFE for fixes, but no special fees or steps were announced for travelers or residents. Check local alerts and the CFE app for restoration updates, then keep an eye on your building’s backup power before you book work-heavy days. Read our full Mexico guide for the complete picture.