Electricity Use

Hi Jack.

I'm not from the states but I can still say that what you heard is true. If you use a little, your bill will be very low. The things that will hike up your bill are as follows: any type of heater, doesn't matter how many volts it uses, electrical burners if you chose to cook with electricity and not gas and water portable heaters, those funny looking metal sticks to heat your bath water if you chose not to use gas or if you run out of gas and you need to use the water heater in case of emergency. Microwaves and hair driers can also eat a lot of electricity but only if you don't actually cook and you use the microwave for everything and if you wash your hair every day and you never let your hair dry naturally.

Electricity in Mexico is very cheap for most people, certainly far lower than in the U.S. It is subsidized by the government. However, there is a trap. If your usage exceeds a certain point, you are put in a different category, which is WAY HIGHER. I do not know that point offhand. I have never reached it. If you pass that point and then have to pay the far higher rates, you must consume below that point for a spell (I think it is three months, but I am not positive) before you are returned to the lower payment category.

The best approach is to avoid electric gizmos that are high usage. That would be electric heaters, electric stoves, clothes dryers, etc. Your hair dryer, stereo, iron, etc., used normally do not cause problems.

Use propane instead of electricity when possible.

FelipeZapata wrote:

Electricity in Mexico is very cheap for most people, certainly far lower than in the U.S. It is subsidized by the government. However, there is a trap. If your usage exceeds a certain point, you are put in a different category, which is WAY HIGHER. I do not know that point offhand. I have never reached it. If you pass that point and then have to pay the far higher rates, you must consume below that point for a spell (I think it is three months, but I am not positive) before you are returned to the lower payment category.

The best approach is to avoid electric gizmos that are high usage. That would be electric heaters, electric stoves, clothes dryers, etc. Your hair dryer, stereo, iron, etc., used normally do not cause problems.

Use propane instead of electricity when possible.

In Patzcuaro you are in the climatic zone that gives you the 3 tiered highest subsidized rate for the first 3000 KWHs. per year staring on April 1st. each year. If you use this up you are charged the DAC 3 tired rate until April 1st.

There are 5 climatic zones, 3000 KWHs is in the climatic zone that most of Mexico is in. Some areas in the desert climatic zone are given 18,000 KWHs at the highest 3 tiered subsidized rate per year. Puerto Vallarta is given 3800 KWHs per year and Mazatlan is given a 4800 KWH allotment per year until going into the DAC rate.

Cold climates are not give a different rate for climatic zones, only hot climates get a higher yearly allotted KWH.

Space heaters usually eat up much of these allotments, I presume, and excessive AC use as most cook and heat water with propane.

If you check a bimonthly bill make sure you are below 500 KWHs. and if not cut back to average it out to 500 KWHs per 2 months and you should be fine. 500 X 6 = 3000

alleycat is right, electric can be cheap if you limit your use.  Residential electric is 6/10 the cost of production for the first tier of usage. if you think you need AC 24/7, well it is not very cheap at all after you get pushed into the high use tier.
  I personally know people who have paid 400 pesos for 2 months electric usage and people who, with AC 24/7, 2 TVs 18/7, etc, paying 3500 pesos every 2 months. \  \
  there is a huge price increase for excessive electric use.  On the other hand, commercial electric always pays 1.4 times the cost of production.,..subsidizing the private homeowner.