Queretaro Forges Plan to Tackle Energy Shortage

The Business Coordinating Council (CCE) warned that Mexico’s lack of electricity has delayed the settlement of foreign companies in some cities, including Queretaro. The Energy Agency of the State of Queretaro (AEEQ) is therefore working on a new strategy to enhance the electricity infrastructure in the state and reap the benefits of nearshoring.

At the beginning of February, Francisco Cervantes, President, CCE, warned that the lack of electricity has stopped companies’ production line developments in different industrial warehouses of Queretaro, Ciudad Juarez and Apodaca. “We have several companies that have already built their industrial units but there is not enough energy capacity,” he said.

During the presentation of Invest in La Laguna, Cervantez recalled that the council created working groups with the Ministry of Economy (SE) to promote the attraction of foreign investors, as Taiwanese companies are interested in investing in microprocessor plants for the automotive and technology industry. "We are making another group linked to industrial parks and industrial buildings, as well as another investment working group. However, we need more installed capacity to realize these projects" he said.

Eduardo Martínez, Electricity Director, AEEQ, pointed out that Queretaro needs to increase its installed capacity by 50% to meet the current energy demand of 1.4GW. In this regard, the government of Queretaro will establish two new electrical power substations. In August 2022, Mauricio Reyes, Director General, AEEQ, estimated that at the beginning of 2023, the agency would have already determined the characteristics and locations of these substations.

So far, the agency plans to place the facilities near Queretaro’s International Airport (AIQ), an area that has a high level of energy consumption, in addition to being strategically located near CFE transmission lines. 

“In the following days, Mauricio Kuri, the Governor of Queretaro, will reveal further details about the project we have been working on,” Martínez commented during an event of the bajio's Second Directive Council of United Electromechanical Constructors. Additionally, he pointed out that to carry out this project, the state government has cleared several procedures with the National Energy Control Centre (CENACE) and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE).

Furthermore, Martínez stressed that the AEEQ will pursue an alliance with the Association of Contractors of Electromechanical Works (ACOEQ), with the aim to complement the Grid Code in Queretaro. According to CRE, the code comprises the administrative provisions that establish the criteria for efficiency, quality, reliability, continuity, safety and sustainability of the National Electricity System. “If we achieve to comply with the Grid Code, the quality of our energy will improve. There will be security, continuity and fewer interruptions,” said Martínez.