President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the González Ortega Combined-Cycle Power Plant in Mexicali on Saturday alongside Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, marking what both officials described as a milestone for energy sovereignty and social justice in the border state.
The new facility, operated by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), is expected to prevent the emission of 3.23 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. It will be supported by two new electrical substations designed to meet the region’s growing energy demand.
The project is part of a federal investment of over 73.9 billion pesos (US $4.2 billion) in Baja California’s electrical grid. Alongside the inauguration, the government announced a record electricity subsidy of 1.485 billion pesos ($85.5 million) for Mexicali and San Felipe residents — benefiting more than 1.37 million people in those municipalities.
“Energy production in Mexico must have at least three characteristics: guaranteeing national sovereignty, minimizing environmental impacts and ensuring social justice,” Sheinbaum said at the event.
The president also noted the goal of installing 32,000 additional megawatts in the national electricity system during her administration, of which 22,000 megawatts will come from renewable sources developed by CFE.
Additional commitments announced during the visit include the replacement of 4,000 electricity poles in Mexicali (500 of which are complete) to improve distribution and reduce outages, as well as a housing support plan for San Quintín and the extension of the Rita Cetina scholarship to Baja California students.
With reports from La Jornada
