Mexico's electricity demand hits record amid extreme heat and water shortages

Mexico has been consuming record amounts of electricity and occasionally more than its utility infrastructure can generate and transmit, official data showed, as scorching heat raises the likelihood of power outages.

In the late afternoon on Monday, Mexico consumed 51,595 megawatts of electricity across the country, grid operator CENACE recorded.

When demand exceeds supply, the country becomes much more prone to outages.

With some widespread outages so far this year and hotter days ahead, addressing this problem will be one of the main challenges for the next president, who will be elected on Sunday.

State-owned utility CFE, a near-monopoly that produces 99.47% of Mexico's electricity, and state-owned grid operator CENACE are suffering from aging and insufficient infrastructure as well as inadequate efforts to modernize and invest in renewable power sources.