Millions impacted by power outages in Juárez and northern Mexico due to winter storm

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (KVIA) -- A massive power outage Monday affected millions of people in Juárez and some other areas in the state of Chihuahua.

ABC-7's news partners in Juárez, Canal 44, reported that major cities like Chihuahua and Monterrey were also without power.

The National Center of Energy Control (CENAC) tweeted that there was an issue with its generators in the north and northeastern parts of the country.

CENACE asked residents in Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Sonora and Tamaulipas to reduce their energy use in an effort to help stabilize the power grid.

In all, the Associated Press reported that 4.8 million customers were affected by the blackout; 65% had their power restored by midday.

Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission said the disruption of electricity production was tied to frozen natural gas pipelines from Texas that supply private power plants in northern Mexico.

The commission said it was seeking to make up for the shortfall by bringing on line more electricity from hydroelectric and coal-fired plants as well as gas supplied by tanker ships.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)