Quick answer: Three big public projects are moving forward on Cozumel. On October 29, 2026, the technical council of Mexico's social security institute, IMSS, approved a new 90-bed general hospital for the island, an investment of more than 2.78 billion pesos on 4 hectares of land donated by the town. The federal power company, CFE, has contracted a new undersea power cable from the mainland (about 3.6 billion pesos) to make the island's electricity more reliable. And the state's plan to renovate the downtown malecón (waterfront) has been revised after residents sent in 55 proposals. None of them changes much for a visit this winter, but they matter a lot to the people who live here.
A new IMSS hospital: from 25 beds to 90
Cozumel's current IMSS hospital has just 25 beds for an island of around 90,000 people, and local press has reported for years on overcrowding and patients sent to the mainland. The new Hospital General de Zona would raise that to 90 beds, which IMSS says takes the island from 0.47 to 1.71 hospital beds per 1,000 members. The Cozumel town council held a neighborhood consultation on the land and then adjusted the terms of the donation so the project could go ahead.
No construction start date or opening date has been announced yet. We'll update this story when there is one.
For visitors: IMSS hospitals serve Mexico's social security members. Travelers normally use the island's private hospitals and clinics, so check that your travel insurance covers medical care in Mexico.
A new undersea power cable
Cozumel gets most of its electricity through submarine cables from the mainland near Playa del Carmen, and power cuts are a familiar part of island life, especially in storms and the hottest months. In September CFE awarded a contract worth about 3.56 billion pesos for a new cable of roughly 20 km, to be built by a Mexican-Chinese consortium, with work scheduled to begin in October. An environmental activist has raised concerns about the cable's route through mangroves on the island, so the final route may still be debated.
The malecón makeover, revised
The state tourism department (SEDETUR) and the cruise passenger trust fund are planning a 136 million peso renovation of the waterfront along Avenida Rafael Melgar: new lighting, signs, benches, better accessibility, restored fountains, historical markers and a relocated children's playground. After a public consultation, the state says it has added changes based on 55 proposals from local groups. Some residents still oppose the project and say money should go to basics like the drainage system first.
Work had been expected to start in the fall and take about a year. If you're visiting in 2027, expect some construction along stretches of the waterfront; the shops, restaurants and ferry pier stay open.
Questions and Answers
Is Cozumel getting a new hospital?
Yes. On October 29, 2026, IMSS approved a new 90-bed general hospital for Cozumel, an investment of more than 2.78 billion pesos on land donated by the town. Construction dates haven't been announced.
Why does Cozumel have power outages?
Most of the island's electricity comes from the mainland through undersea cables, and outages happen during storms and heavy demand. CFE has contracted a new undersea cable of about 20 km to make the supply more reliable.
Is the Cozumel malecón being renovated?
Yes. The state plans a 136 million peso renovation of the downtown waterfront, with new lighting, benches, signs and accessibility improvements, revised in 2026 after a public consultation.
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