Nuevo Leon’s Energy Demand to Grow 1.2GW Due to Nearshoring
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Nuevo Leon’s Energy Demand to Grow 1.2GW Due to Nearshoring

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Eliza Galeana By Eliza Galeana | Junior Journalist & Industry Analyst - Tue, 03/28/2023 - 15:20

Eduardo Sánchez, Director of Energy and Mining Promotion, Nuevo Leon’s Ministry of Economy, said the arrival of new companies and the expansion of others, driven by the nearshoring boom, has increased the demand for electricity in the state.

According to an energy census carried out among the main developers of industrial parks and buildings in the Santa Catarina area, energy demand in the state is expected to increase at least 1.2GW over the next two years. “This is just an initial scenario according to the information we have gathered, considering the square meters involved in the construction of industrial parks, new ships and so on. However, this number could rise with the arrival of Tesla and more companies belonging to the automotive sector,” said Sánchez. 

During the inauguration of the Forbes Forum on March 22, 2023, Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel García asserted that the arrival of Tesla opens the possibility of creating a global electromobility hub. “In November 2022, 35 automotive suppliers arrived in Nuevo Leon. Between now and July 2023, we will be receiving another 30 to 40 suppliers belonging to the Tier 1 and Tier 2 categories," he said. The state government has requested Tesla to incorporate Nuevo Leon’s SMEs into its supply chain, García added. 

Sánchez highlighted that to supply the required energy demand, the state needs to increase its distribution and transformation infrastructure. “So far, CFE has maintained a linear growth, while the arrival of companies and the expansion of others in Nuevo Leon has been exponential,” he said. Moreover, Sanchéz pointed out that the real challenge right now is the distribution system, since transformation works are required, specifically from 400 or 230kV high voltage lines to the 115kV distribution network. “Energy transformation infrastructure is taking longer than companies are willing to wait,” he said. 

According to Sánchez, specialized companies arriving are electricity-intensive and need to start operations in the short term. Also, they have to meet the same requirements of production delivery both in Mexico and the US, which is one of the main objectives of nearshoring. To keep up with this industrial growth, Sánchez said the state government is working on a collaboration model where industrial park developers invest in energy infrastructure and submit requests to have the electricity they require on time. 

Sánchez emphasized that Nuevo Leon’s government will promote the development of clean energy projects, specially focused on photovoltaic and wind energy. “In the short term, we may be modeling some renewable energy projects that will supply energy to all these new companies,” he stated

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