Changes In The CFE Billing - Mexico Electricity

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

I wanted to share new information I received from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) which is the provider for power in Mexico.  It is a nationalized company and is going through some very interesting political changes.  Those I won't discuss here but you can refer to our illustrious new president and his Comision Reguladora de Energia (CRE).  When the new commission was formed under the new president, he actually elected persons who have no experience or education regarding energy.  During the hearings to elect a new board, one of the questions was directed to a seat of the pants senator, "What is a cell?"   "Well, a cell is a cellphone".  The question referred to solar cells and photovoltaic cells.  Okay, enough of that.

This information could possibly change depending on the area you live in.  Usage will depend on the ambient temperature that is taken from a tower in your area and tariffs will change based on those areas as well as usage.  Refer to the list of cities and tariffs outlined in the CFE webpage (www.cfe.gob.mx).

Here is my recent bill.  I have color-coded each box to make it easier to read.  In my area outside of Monterrey, we have a mayor that fought for a lower rate considering we are rural.  We are now in B2.  That said, we are now allotted 900 KWHs per bimestre or bimestral which is a two-month billing period.  In Mexico, there are a few, very few, areas that are billed monthly although that is not common.  

The first box upper left in black designates the tariff rate by category; basic, intermediate1, intermediate 2, and then excedente.  Excedente is the tariff level for those KWHs that exceed my 900 KWH allotment.  

The next box in dark red, shows the usage by category and the total usage.  In this case, I had 300 basica, 300 intermedio 1, 300 intermedio 2, and 26 KWHs over my limit and those are charged at a higher rate.

The yellow box shows the price per KWH by category.  In U.S. dollars or cents these are the rates in my area.

Basico                3.8 cents per KWH

Intermedio 1     4.4 cents per KWH

Intermedio 2     5.7 cents per KWH

Excendente        15 cents per KWH

The green box shows the price for usage, sales tax, the total for the billing period, the previous unpaid balance minus the paid balance and the total.  

Sales tax of 16% is the only tax charged on the electric bill and some of that can be deductible if you pay taxes in Mexico.  Check with your accountant.

This was our hottest summer on record and we were home most of the summer.  We used our air conditioning in the bedroom, pool filter, water well pump, and all our electricity for a total of $53 U.S. for two months or $26.65 per month U.S.

Major change is as follows.  You are allowed to exceed your limit (ours is 900 KWHs per billing cycle).  Here is how it works.  

You take the total usage of your last six billings (12 months) and add them up and divide by 6.  If that number exceeds 1700 you are then forced into the commercial rate, DAC, for a period of six months.  I believe that the price is 20 cents U.S. per KWH. 

Here was mine:  926 + 812 + 654 + 494 + 490 + 542 = 3918 / 6 = 653

So we are well under the 1700 KWH limit for the 12 months or 6 billing cycles.  We could use more but we would pay the excendente rate.  

So I hope this is helpful for those living in Mexico.  Maybe people that come for the winter and wonder why electric is considered a taboo or scary ordeal most of it has to do with not just usage but the two-month billing.  I hope in the future that the CFE opts for a monthly cycle.