Sonora Plan: Early Launch of Puerto Peñasco’s Phase One Plant

Originally destined to be launched in April of this year, the first phase of the Peñasco Photovoltaic Park, part of the government’s Sonora Plan, had an early inauguration in February 2023. The plant alone can generate 120MW and is set to reach its full capacity of 1,000MW by 2027. 

The Sonora Plan is one of the most ambitious plans of López Obrador’s administration. Its power plant in Puerto Peñasco would be the largest renewable energy plant in Latin America and is situated on the northern border of the State of Sonora. According to the report published by Lider Empresarial, the initiative has received government funding of US$1.64 billion and will benefit 1.6 million end users in the country. Once the project is completed, it is believed that it shall provide electricity to more than 538,000 homes and supply 523 transmission lines. 

According to Reuters, the Sonora region could host the amount of solar capacity in India, the world’s third largest solar producer, up to seven times. The Sonora Plan’s aim is to strengthen the supply chains between the US and Sonora, develop a blooming lithium industry and encourage the construction of large green power plants. 

The Governor of Sonora, Alfonso Durazo, said “This solar power plant already represents the first step of the Sonora Plan for sustainable energy, which will put our state and our county at the forefront of the fight against climate change, the drive for the decarbonization of the economy and will put us at front edge of the energy transition worldwide.”

In 2022, Mexico pledged to raise its target to shrink its greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, as the country is the second biggest emitter of CO2 in Latin America. 

During Mexico Solar Summit 2023, Martha Delgado, Deputy Minister of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) expressed that the Sonora Plan is Mexico’s key component to reach its climate goals: “The global reality requires us to make proposals and respond promptly to meet the most urgent challenges such as inclusion and environmental responsibility. SRE is committed to tackling these issues; these projects and proposals are proof of our coordination to meet the needs of the industry and spur the economic development of the country.”