en.Wedoany.com Reported - Mexico's Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) has commissioned the Teresa Urrea Chávez Combined-Cycle Power Plant (Manzanillo III) in the city of Manzanillo, Colima, adding 357 MW of installed capacity. President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the project, and CFE General Manager Emilia Calleja revealed at the ceremony that the plant's total investment was $347.45 million, forming part of the 2025-2030 National Expansion Plan.
The new unit increases the total installed capacity of the Manzanillo combined-cycle complex to 2,860 MW, supplying power to 800,000 residential, commercial, and industrial users in western Mexico. Mexico's Secretary of Energy (SENER), Luz Elena González, stated that the plant will enhance power supply reliability and allow for greater integration of renewable energy without compromising grid stability. At the commissioning ceremony, Sheinbaum emphasized that after amending the 2013 energy reform, CFE has been granted priority dispatch rights, established as a public state-owned enterprise, and vertically integrated, currently responsible for 54% of the nation's energy production. She stated that the government aims to add 28,000 MW of generation capacity, with the state producing approximately 65% of energy, and plans to build five new combined-cycle power plants.
Manzanillo III is the fifth combined-cycle plant to enter operation under President Sheinbaum's administration. Previously commissioned plants include the 499 MW Elvia Carrillo Puerto plant in Mérida (May 12) and the 745 MW González Ortega plant in Mexicali; three plants (including Manzanillo III) have entered commercial operation within five weeks. The plant uses combined-cycle technology, achieving significantly higher thermal efficiency than conventional thermal power plants, saving 93 million liters of water annually and reducing CO2 emissions by 937,000 tons, equivalent to eliminating emissions from over 312,000 gasoline-powered vehicles.
González also confirmed that CFE has completed the process of incorporating 38 new renewable energy plants, with details to be announced soon. These facilities utilize solar, wind, and geothermal resources, complementing combined-cycle plants that provide stable generation capacity. Notably, the figure of 38 plants closely aligns with the 37 projects formally awarded by CFE on June 5 under the Hybrid Development Plan, a competitive process allocating approximately 7,411 MW of solar and wind capacity, with CFE retaining at least a 54% stake in each project; the discrepancy of one project may stem from subsequent additions or differing calculation methods, and the Energy Ministry has not yet published a detailed comparison of the two datasets. González positioned Manzanillo III as a key foundation for "promoting greater integration of renewable energy without affecting stability," consistent with the Hybrid Development Plan's requirement that new intermittent renewable projects include battery storage capacity equivalent to 30% of generation output for at least three hours.
Within five weeks, CFE has brought approximately 1.6 GW of new combined-cycle capacity online across three states, completed Mexico's largest competitive renewable energy tender, and confirmed a pipeline of 38 renewable energy projects. Sheinbaum stated that her administration plans to build a total of five new combined-cycle plants during its term, with Manzanillo III being the fifth such commissioning since taking office.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
