Mexico City — Mexico’s state-owned power utility Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) is investing $8 billion (151 billion pesos) in energy projects for the Yucatán Peninsula in the country’s southeast.
The company’s CEO, Manuel Bartlett Díaz, announced the construction of multiple projects to bring gas and electrification to the region, mainly for the Tren Maya, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s flagship infrastructure project for the region, a tourist railroad that circumnavigates the peninsula, connecting tourist destinations such as the resort city of Cancún and a string of archeological sites.
The projects consist of two 1.5 GW combined-cycle gas and steam power plants in the cities of Valladolid and Merida, the construction of the Puerta al Sureste gas pipeline in partnership with Canadian company TC Energy, and the expansion of the Mayakan pipeline that is expected to transport 500 million cubic feet of natural gas.
López Obrador presented a video in which he specified that for the Tren Maya the government will build seven substations and 556km of medium voltage electricity transmission networks to connect the project with the grid, as well as a 7.5MW photovoltaic solar plant to electrify public transportation.
In addition, the CFE will replace submarine cables on the island of Holbox, and from Isla Mujeres to Cancún.
“Mexico has grown in an unequal manner: the north grows, the center, the Bajío region grows, however, traditionally, southeast has been lagging behind”, the CFE’s chief executive Bartlett said.