msteve1014 - 1-8-2008 at 05:17 PM
does anyone have any recent experiences concerning the cost or problems involved in getting the local power company to install a new pole (or 2 or 3)
to get power to a new site? thanks, Mike
rts551 - 1-8-2008 at 06:10 PM
Location ? CFE is everywhere but location is important.
longlegsinlapaz - 1-8-2008 at 06:14 PM
Where's the property....that might make a LOT of difference! 
You have to go to your local CFE office & sign a contract requesting new service, they tell you you'll have power in 1-10 workdays, then they do a
study to see how close you are to the nearest transformer & come back & give you a quote for getting it to your lot. Brace yourself! It cost
me over $87,000 pesos to get it 501 meters to my last place & CFE quoted me $47,500 on my new casa to upgrade the existing transformer right
across the street (maybe all of 40')....NO poles required as I put up my own mast! All my experience is with CFE in La Paz, I'm guessing time-line
& costs could vary by location.
msteve1014 - 1-8-2008 at 06:33 PM
the lots we are looking at are in La Bocana. One needs 1 pole and then the drop. The others are at least 3 or 4 poles, and then the drop. I am trying
to figure all this into the asking prices. Thanks again, Mike
longlegsinlapaz - 1-8-2008 at 06:47 PM
WAAAAAY out of my geographical area of experience....I'm dropping off the radar, maybe someone familiar with that area will pop up
& post local experiences.
rts551 - 1-8-2008 at 06:54 PM
Mike
The CFE guys in Bocana or Abreojos should be able to give you a price for the drop. The other lots requiring poles are tougher. We are finding that
they won't even put in poles until there is enough demand from the area (ie other lots built). If you are looking North (Bocanita) I imagine it
could be a while (but I could be wrong). I built in Abreojos in 95 and still don't have CFE power. It comes with the territory. Go solar!
msteve1014 - 1-8-2008 at 08:50 PM
We were not looking all the way to Bocanita, but on the outskirts in that direction. like I said, I think only 3 or 4 poles past the last house on
power now. The other lot is just past the last house on a dead end "steet"in town. I assume they never extend the power line before someone asks, and
pays, for the pole line. maybe not even then, I guess.
capt. mike - 1-9-2008 at 06:40 AM
why not stay off grid?? go green?
longlegsinlapaz - 1-9-2008 at 07:45 AM
Mike, CFE does allow you to make payments over 6 months....I had to pay 50% down & then the balance over the next 6 months....with interest!! My
monthly payments were $7,821.47, interest was $264.68, and IVA on the interest was $26.46....so it's a costly process. And you're correct in your
assumption that they never extend the line without a service contract in place, so they know who is paying for the entire thing! However, they'll do
the work & connection after the 50% down payment.
RTS551 has the best suggestion....get a quote from the local CFE office, or ask anyone with new construction in the area what it cost them to get it
brought in & what the distance was.
shari - 1-9-2008 at 08:34 AM
We put our own poles up and they just connected them...power is very cheap here so maybe split between all the users it may be cost effective
eventually...our monthly power bill is between $10 or $20 dollars. Why not a wind generator? and small solar system for back up?
msteve1014 - 1-9-2008 at 01:25 PM
shari, did you put poles up on other peoples land, and before the meter? I would not have thought that CFE would like that at all. The pole for the
drop, and anything after the meter would be differant
Cypress - 1-9-2008 at 02:18 PM
Have paid $5/ft from the main line in the US.
Riptide - 1-30-2008 at 06:35 PM
ok here go's,
i am a mexican contractor in ensenada, that deal with these issue often.
Electricity is the most expensive utility in mexico. And they have a heavy usage increments. Example upto 400kw you pay one price, if you go over.. it
go's up 3 times per kw if you go over that quota it go's up 5 times...so on a month like december and x-mas lights, you use twice the electric but are
charged 4x times more... if you have a small casita and are only there part time your bill is like 15 to 35 bucks a month. however if you run a
normal house with several appliances. and live in it full time, your bill is going to be more like the usa $75 Bucks a month. i run a fridge in
kitchen and a deep freezer in the sheed for fish and a electric jacuzze and i pay $120 bucks a month. Now the deal with the CFE . The will go up to 40
meters between poles and are approx $1,000 dollars per pole. every 5 poles a transformer $1k to $1500 bucks or more for each transformer depending on
size. $1,500 is for a 25kw. a 25 kw will service up to 5 houses
so a 4 pole with 1 transformer system can run you 4 to 5 grand.
The drope meter pole is approx $150 bucks
if you can get any of the lot owners on the way to yours to cooperate the better. But most of the time you pay the hole amount and over the years all
the lots in between don/t pay for nothing except there drop. so bassically you pay the hole thing.
so if your far away from the closest electrical source or
If you have the bucks and the time to injoy it GO SOLAR.
The villa im building right now is solar 220 volts. and it will pay for it self in 5 years. I am thinking of changing over...
Riptide - 1-30-2008 at 06:40 PM
On long runs, or big jobs, you can get a private high voltage contractor to set the poles and transformer at a discounted price..
msteve1014 - 1-30-2008 at 07:03 PM
thanks riptide, all good to know. I bought the lot that is 1 pole from power, and the lot next to it that has a small house on it with power. now all
I need is ......everything else. Let the games begin.
Riptide - 1-30-2008 at 08:20 PM
msteve1014
if your that close to the power source.
1 set your meter pole at the corner of your property to the source.
purchase at local harware store. don't forget the ground rod...
2 go to CFE and start your contract. should be less that $30
3 wait for them to send the engineer for an estimate
4 based on what i said above for cost?
5 try and work a better deal with the engineer in private
6 in outer city limits areas there known to bend the rules...LOL...