Mexico’s state-owned company CFE reported on the progress of engine delivery and testing at the CCI Mexicali Oriente plant, currently under construction.

CFE said in a statement on Friday that the investment in the facility was around $379 million and most of the 24 internal combustion engines had already arrived.

With a nameplate capacity of 18.5 MW each, total guaranteed capacity during the summer months is expected to reach 429 MW, with assembly, testing and commissioning expected to be completed by May 15, 2023, the utility said. .

The natural gas production plant is expected to play a vital role in preventing power outages that frequently occur on the Baja California Peninsula, which is largely isolated from the National Interconnected System (NES).

During the summer months, the plant will operate continuously, meeting the high demand for electricity in the region, when temperatures can reach 50°C. The rest of the year, it will be used to provide grid balancing service.

The plant is located near Mexicali, Baja California, approximately 170 km east of Tijuana and just south of the US border with Calexico. Although it runs primarily on gas, it will have the option of using liquid fuel as a backup.

Built by Wärtsilä in Trieste, Italy, engine trials were completed in August and the last arrived at the port of Ensenada, Baja California in September.

“To date, 19 engines have been transferred overland to the city of Mexicali, Baja California, where the project site is located; It is estimated that the transfer will be completed on October 13, 2022,” CFE announced.

CFE DISTRIBUTION

The state-owned distribution subsidiary reported progress in efforts to upgrade and repair distribution lines, transformers and other infrastructure.

The recovered energy boosted revenues by 3,430 million pesos ($171 million) in August compared to the previous year, CFE Distribución directors reported.

In addition, the modernization of 1,060 km of transmission lines allowed the sale of 156 GWh for 306 million pesos.

Efforts to legalize irregular connections in August are also estimated to have recovered 86 GWh, or 170 million pesos in revenue.

The completion of 432 electrical infrastructure reinforcement works has avoided losses of 74 GWh, according to the company.

The subsidiary reported 3,443 works in progress in August with an investment valued at 2,480 million pesos, supported by resources from the Universal Electric Service Fund (USEF).