CFE Plans 1-GW Solar Photovoltaic Operation in Mexico

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Mexico's state-owned Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) plans to construct a 1-gigawatt (GW) solar photovoltaic facility near Puerto Peñasco in the state of Sonora, to be operational by late 2023.

The project would be jointly owned with the Sonora state government, but CFE will own 54% of the property and be responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of the facility. CFE plans to transmit the electricity produced by the facility to the neighboring state of Baja California.

The announcement is a novelty, as CFE has focused almost exclusively on the development of new natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power capacity. The company's five-year business plan, which was presented earlier this year, did not include new renewable capacity before 2027.

From the beginning of his administration and especially since last year, President López Obrador made changes in regulations and legislation regarding government permitting and access to the transmission and distribution grid, versus privately owned renewable projects.

Industrial Info is tracking 60 wind and solar projects in Mexico, with a combined value of $11.37 billion, which are in advanced stages of planning and are expecting to complete permitting and reach capital approval. Fifty-two of the projects have been under development since 2019 or earlier, and only 10 new projects have surfaced in the last year and a half.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for a list of detailed project reports.

Click on the image at right for a heat map of Mexico's solar and wind projects in the advanced planning stage, from Industrial Info's Geolocator tool.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn.