CFE presents strategy to face the 2023 hurricane season with technological innovation

• The season begins on May 15 for the Pacific Ocean and on June 1 for the Atlantic Ocean.
• For emergency care, the CFE operates and maintains an infrastructure throughout the national territory with electricity coverage that exceeds 99 percent.

In Santa María Tonameca, Oaxaca, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) held the 2023 National Hurricane Meeting, an annual event where it presents the material, technical and human resources for the restoration of electricity supply after the passage of a natural phenomenon through the country .

The general director of the CFE, Manuel Bartlett Díaz, thanked the electrical personnel for their preparation and commitment to the Mexican population. “It is not just a demonstration of skill and strength, it is a test that is done every year to be ready and prepared to recover the electrical system at high speed. They are a world example, ”he emphasized.

He also recalled the attempts to make the CFE disappear and cede the electricity market to private companies in previous administrations; however, thanks to the determined actions of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the company is stronger than ever and will be indestructible.

“We owe him the rescue of the CFE. We have strengthened with the support of all his staff. We are stronger than ever and we are going to have a fuel distribution capacity with CFEnergía. We are committed to various presidential projects: Internet for All, Mayan Train, Welfare Banks. We have maintained the rates and that is a job of social justice,” said Bartlett Díaz.

The governor of the state of Oaxaca, Salomón Jara Cruz, recalled the support that the CFE provided in May 2022 when Hurricane Agatha affected the entity and reiterated its greatness.

“We recognize the importance of the work carried out by the CFE before, during and after a natural disaster. Those who have been victims of hurricanes, earthquakes or storms appreciate the work that the women and men of the CFE carry out to ensure the supply or prompt restoration of electrical energy”, indicated the governor.

Human and technical deployment

Thanks to its strategic attention plan, the CFE carries out actions in all its operational processes to face possible damage to the electrical infrastructure, before, during and after the passage of a natural phenomenon, and prioritizes the supply in hospitals, drinking water systems and homes in case of an emergency.

The CFE has the capacity to move more than 17,000 workers to the affected areas. It has 6,438 vehicles, 674 emergency plants and 19 large-capacity plants, 90 mobile substations, 88 CFE Distribution Control Centers, 111 CFE Transmission Operation Centers, 46 lighting towers and 113 emergency warehouses. In addition, the company has 1,082 Customer Service Centers.

CFE Basic Services Provider has 11 Mobile Service Centers (CAM) that become service offices during a contingency, equipped with emergency plants, satellite communication equipment, CFEmáticos and telephone service lines linked to the 14 Regional Service Centers (071). As well as four digital channels to receive reports: single window, Twitter, App CFE Contigo and digital portal.

They innovate technology and satellite communications in emergencies

In 2019, CFE Distribución installed the first CFE brand Master Central Unit, -the heart of a Control and Supervision system of the Electric Network- which is located in the 88 Distribution Control Centers. 9 of its type have been installed.

In addition to 198 satellite communication services for reporting damages and coordinating restoration activities, as well as seven communications units for Emergency Attention (UCAE) and pole-type repeaters in order to guarantee personnel communication.

Operational coordination

Later, in Santa María Huatulco, an informative meeting was held, where the corporate director of Operations, Carlos Andrés Morales Mar, reiterated the strength and capacity of the CFE to restore electricity in record time after the impact of a natural phenomenon in the country. In 2022, Hurricanes Karl, Lisa, Orlene, Kay, and Agatha affected 12 entities and restoration work lasted from one to nine days.

The deputy director of Non-Regulated Businesses, José Manuel Mendoza Fuentes, indicated that the CFE operates and maintains 160 power plants with an effective capacity of 44,211 MW (33.41% clean energy and 66.59% thermal energy) and has 19 Mobile Emergency Units.

For emergency care they have a plan that considers 4 stages:

The representative of CFE Transmission, Héctor Lizárraga, reported that to protect the National Transmission Network (RNT) made up of 110,532 km of lines from 69 to 400 kV; 336,094 towers and 2,284 Power Substations, various work actions were implemented before, during and after the impact of a tropical cyclone, such as:

• Deployment of personnel in the affected areas.
• Installation of shelters for personnel, equipment and helicopters.
• Ground and air inspections to assess and quantify the affectations.
• Management of materials, equipment, tools and supplies necessary in the affected areas.
• Provisional restoration works of the RNT with the use of Emergency Modular Structures.

Meanwhile, the general director of Distribution, Guillermo Nevárez Elizondo, specified that the CFE has high-performance personnel, focused on working under the highest safety and efficiency standards to restore service in the shortest possible time.

With its Technical Procedure Manual for Disaster Response, they carry out preventive actions, actions during the presence of the meteor, restoration and reconstruction actions, such as identifying risk areas and ensuring the availability of personnel, conformation of Strategic Operation Centers (COE) National, Divisional and Zone.

In his participation, the general director of CFE Suministrador de Servicios Básicos, José Martín Mendoza, pointed out that as of April they have 47.7 million users (42.4 million in the domestic sector), and for the care of those affected by a natural phenomenon have:

• Documentation of the Contingency Plan,
• Politics and procedures.
• Executive Training Plan for contingencies.
• Communications configuration.
• Backup server or alternate nodes for the interconnection of the 071 platform.
• Drills and detection of vulnerable areas.

Service executives have 24-hour service capacity, in addition to having automatic response lines for quick information and permanent communication through social networks.

The corporate director of Electrical Infrastructure Projects (DCIPI), César Fuentes Estrada, assured that, thanks to more than 25 years of experience in emergency response, the area has managed to rebuild 175 km of transmission lines immediately. In addition, they have more than 290 mobile equipment and machinery available.

Additionally, they have state-of-the-art technology to anticipate the arrival of meteorological phenomena, such as the Georeferenced Electric System, Hurricane Satellite Monitoring and the administration of human and material capital. It has sufficient contact with certified and experienced contracting companies, as well as an emergency warehouse in Irapuato, Guanajuato. The Strategic Emergency Response Communications System operates with satellite communication.

In his turn, the person in charge of the Southeast Regional Coordination of the Single Union of Electrical Workers of the Mexican Republic, Carlos Mario Sánchez Morales, indicated that the population expects electricians to have sufficient capacity to meet the growing demand for energy that the country need to grow.

The Undersecretary of Transition and Energy Planning of the Ministry of Energy, Heberto Barrios Castillo, pointed out that with the RNH the capacity of CFE personnel in contingencies was endorsed and recalled that the most important policy of this administration is the rescue and strengthening of the CFE and PEMEX.

During the test, 9 maneuvers were carried out by CFE Distribución and CFE Transmission

• 115kV line restoration with fiberglass pole.
• Restoration of medium voltage circuit with fiberglass poles.
• Repair of medium voltage line outside the step insulator, repair of burst low voltage line and damaged connection with transformer in good condition.
• Restoration with emergency plant transferred by helicopter.
• Carousel: with the support of a helicopter, reconnaissance and magnitude of the damage is done with a helicopter, and personnel and materials are transferred via area to areas that are difficult to access.
• Modular structure assembly with sliding boom.
• Structure assembly with auxiliary boom and open pulley. A UNIMOG with a load capacity of 6 tons is used.
• Pivoting of a supported structure with the use of the helicopter.
• Restoration of a structure.