Mexico Announces $8 Billion Energy Investment Plan with Focus on Yucatan Peninsula

Mexico City — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a major mixed-investment energy plan on Friday that will add 6,000 megawatts of capacity to the national grid, with significant projects planned for the Yucatan Peninsula states of Quintana Roo, Yucatan, and Campeche.

The plan, developed in collaboration with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), aims to strengthen Mexico’s energy sovereignty and expand electricity generation capacity. Sheinbaum said the CFE will maintain majority control with 54% of electricity generation, while private sector participation will account for 46%.

The initiative includes construction of 60 combined-cycle power plants over the next six years and more than $8 billion in transmission network upgrades. At least 35% of the new generation is expected to come from clean energy sources.

Yucatan Peninsula Projects

The Yucatan Peninsula represents a priority region in the investment plan, with specific projects outlined for each state:

• Quintana Roo: Three clean energy projects (two photovoltaic and one wind) with combined capacity of approximately 443 MW are included among 66 transmission projects. The CFV Los Girasoles solar project (110 MW) is under evaluation, while the Oxtankah substation in Chetumal is under construction with a 166 million peso investment and will serve over 53,000 residents when operational by late 2026. The CFE will also receive 1.233 billion pesos for maintenance and construction of substations in Cancún and the Riviera Maya.
• Yucatan: The Mérida IV combined-cycle plant will be developed alongside the existing Mérida II facility as part of the Cuxtal-Maya Kán integrated energy project. The Dzilam II wind park, with a 2.46 billion peso investment and 120 MW capacity, will begin construction in 2026 and benefit over 87,000 households. The state already operates the Tizimín wind farm (84 MW), developed through private initiative since 2019.
• Campeche: Plans include a 250 MW combined-cycle plant requiring 50 million cubic feet of natural gas daily. Renewable projects under consideration include a 100 MW photovoltaic park, a 100 MW offshore wind farm, and a plasma gasification plant that would process municipal solid waste to generate 250 MW annually.

Industry Response

CFE Director General Emilia Esther Calleja Alor said the projects aim to guarantee electricity supply and prevent system risks while “respecting legal deadlines and territorial conditions.”

Nancy Julieta Gamboa Mancilla, sustainability manager at Vive Energía, noted that “the Yucatan Peninsula becomes a key hub for energy transition, combining conventional projects with clean sources that drive local development and emission reductions.”