On the afternoon of September 26, 2025, an unexpected power outage swept across three states in southeast Mexico, plunging more than 2.2 million people into darkness and disrupting daily life in one of the country’s most vital regions. The culprit? A problem with a transmission line during routine maintenance, according to Mexico’s state-owned power company, the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE).
The blackout, which began just after 2 p.m. local time, affected the states of Yucatan, Campeche, and Quintana Roo. These are not just any states on the map—Quintana Roo, for instance, is home to Mexico’s tourism crown jewels, including the famed beaches of Cancun and Tulum along the Caribbean coast. Yucatan’s capital, Merida, and the historic towns of Campeche were also left without electricity as the outage rippled through the region.
President Claudia Sheinbaum swiftly addressed the nation via X (formerly known as Twitter), assuring citizens that technicians from CFE were hard at work to restore power. Her message was clear and direct: “Technicians from Mexico’s state-owned power company, known as CFE, were working to restore power to Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo states.” The urgency was palpable, as millions waited for updates with phones in hand, hoping for a quick return to normalcy.
For many residents and businesses, the timing could hardly have been worse. The afternoon hours are a peak period for both commercial activity and tourism, especially in Quintana Roo, where international visitors flock to the region’s pristine beaches and luxury resorts. As the outage stretched on, hotels, restaurants, and small businesses scrambled to adapt, relying on backup generators where available or simply waiting out the darkness.
According to an official statement from CFE, the outage was triggered “while maintenance was being performed on transmission lines.” The company clarified that more than 2.2 million users were affected, a figure that underscores the scale of the disruption. While such maintenance is a routine part of grid management, the widespread impact of this particular incident raised questions about the vulnerability of the region’s energy infrastructure.
By the evening, there were glimmers of hope. President Sheinbaum provided another update, announcing that power had been restored to most of Merida, the capital of Yucatan, as well as most of Campeche state. Some towns in Quintana Roo, including Chetumal, Bacalar, and the island of Holbox, also saw their lights flicker back to life. The relief was palpable, but the incident left many residents uneasy about the reliability of their power supply.
This was not the first time in 2025 that southeast Mexico had experienced a significant blackout. Earlier in the year, the region was hit by another widespread outage, which CFE attributed to “bad quality” natural gas supplied to a generating plant. That incident, while caused by a different chain of events, highlighted ongoing challenges in maintaining a stable and resilient energy grid in a region that is both geographically remote and economically crucial.
The stakes are especially high in Quintana Roo. As the gateway to the Riviera Maya, the state draws millions of tourists each year, generating billions in revenue for the Mexican economy. When the power goes out, the effects ripple far beyond the inconvenience of a darkened room. Tourists may find themselves stranded in airports, unable to check into hotels, or forced to navigate unfamiliar streets without the aid of streetlights or GPS. Local residents, too, face disruptions to essential services, from healthcare to transportation to food supply.
According to the Associated Press, the blackout was “knocked out to more than 2 million customers in three states in southeast Mexico Friday after a problem with a transmission line.” The agency also noted that, “President Claudia Sheinbaum said via X that technicians from Mexico’s state-owned power company, known as CFE, were working to restore power to Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo states.” These facts were echoed by multiple news outlets, underscoring the seriousness of the event and the coordinated response by federal authorities.
For many, the outage served as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between infrastructure maintenance and public need. While routine upkeep is essential to prevent larger failures, any misstep can have immediate and far-reaching consequences. The September 26 blackout, coming on the heels of a similar event earlier in the year, has reignited debate about the adequacy of Mexico’s energy investment and the need for modernization, especially in regions that are so critical to the nation’s tourism and economic well-being.
Residents of affected areas described scenes of confusion and frustration. In Merida, families gathered outside to escape the stifling heat inside their homes, while business owners worried about perishable goods and lost sales. In tourist hotspots like Cancun and Tulum, some hotels managed to keep the lights on with generators, but others were forced to turn away guests or cancel reservations. Local authorities worked alongside CFE crews, directing traffic at intersections where signals had gone dark and providing updates to anxious citizens.
As power was gradually restored, attention turned to the question of accountability and prevention. CFE, for its part, emphasized that the outage was an unfortunate but isolated incident, caused by necessary maintenance rather than systemic failure. Still, critics have pointed to the frequency of such events in recent years as evidence that more robust investment is needed—both in terms of infrastructure and emergency preparedness.
The Mexican government, under President Sheinbaum’s leadership, has made energy security a priority, but the challenges are formidable. Southeast Mexico’s geography, with its long distances and vulnerability to storms and other natural hazards, complicates efforts to build a truly resilient grid. Meanwhile, the demands of a booming tourism sector place constant pressure on existing resources.
While the lights are back on for most residents, the memory of September 26 lingers. For many, it was a day that revealed both the strengths and the weaknesses of Mexico’s energy system—a reminder that progress is never as simple as flipping a switch. As the region moves forward, questions about how to balance growth, maintenance, and reliability will remain at the forefront of public debate.
Ultimately, the rapid response by CFE and government officials prevented a longer and more damaging crisis, but the incident has left an indelible mark. For the millions who experienced the blackout firsthand, it was a vivid lesson in the importance of infrastructure—and the need for vigilance in keeping the lights on, even in the sun-drenched heart of Mexico’s southeast.
