Grid Code Compliance

Grid Code, referred to as Código de Red in Spanish, is an official document outlining a series of rules and technical criteria dictated by the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE). It is mandatory for all large-industrial and commercial users connected to mid and high-tension in Mexico. Grid Code’s objective is to set a gold-standard in the efficiency, quality, reliability, continuity, safety, and sustainability within the National Electrical System. This policy was first published in Mexico’s Federal Gazette on April 8, 2016, and went into effect on April 8, 2019. Grid Code 2.0 was published on December 31, 2021, under Resolution No. RES/550/2021.

Grid Code describes important changes for Mid Tension load centers with a contracted demand greater than or equal to 1 MW. According to Grid Code regulation, mid and high-tension users are required to maintain, during 95% of the time, an average power factor of at least 0.95. Not only are users required to maintain this average, but power factor may only drop below 0.95 for up to 36 hours during the month. Additionally, for users connected in different tension levels, Grid Code establishes specific levels which users should maintain with regards to:

Harmonic distortion
Current unbalances
Tension fluctuation (‘flicker’)

The following chart illustrates the requirements to be met by load centers according to their respective voltage level and contracted demand:

Currently, CRE has not outlined a procedure on how penalties will be implemented; however, article 165 of the Electricity Industry Law (LIE) mentions that sanctions will vary depending on the severity of the offense or lack of compliance. These sanctions, measured in daily-minimum wages (salarios mínimos), may range between the equivalent in Mexican pesos of 50,000 to 200,000 minimum wages; or may also range between 2% to 10% of the company’s gross income during the previous fiscal year. CRE will evaluate the magnitude or degree of non-compliance along with CENACE’s technical support to know the impact associated to the penalty (i.e., number of users affected, duration of supply interruption, amount of energy not supplied, etc.)

Grid Code 2.0 establishes that Mid-Tension load centers with a demand greater than or equal to 1 MW will have a transitional period of no more than two years to comply with paragraphs 2.4 (Power Factor) and 2.8 (Power Quality), starting on December 31, 2021. Also, effective 2026, the Power Factor requirement will increase from 0.97 to 1, 95% of the time.

Enerlogix Solutions strongly advices mid and high-tension users to perform a grid code assessment. Enerlogix Solutions has developed alliances with accredited vendors in this area who have the expertise to not only assess, along with the technical staff at Enerlogix, but also install or change out associated equipment to bring companies into compliance and take out the risk of being assessed any penalty.

If you need assistance performing a Grid Code assessment or managing your Grid Code compliance project, give Enerlogix a call and request a proposal.

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