Strategic inauguration of the El Sauz II Power Plant in Querétaro
In an event held in Pedro Escobedo, Querétaro, the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, put into operation the El Sauz II “Josefa Ortiz Téllez Girón” Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCC), property of the Federal Electricity Commission. This critical infrastructure will inject 269 megawatts (MW) of capacity into the National Electric System, directly benefiting more than 4 million inhabitants. Its entry into service, added to the Salamanca I and Villa de Reyes plants inaugurated earlier in the year, represents a consolidated addition of 1,677 MW to the national grid, significantly reinforcing the reliability and security of supply.
The president emphasized that the name of the plant pays tribute to a historical female figure, establishing a precedent for future generating plants. “The next energy plants will also be named after prominent women… as an act of justice,” she declared, underlining a policy of recognition after decades of omission. This symbolic gesture is part of a broader technical and management vision.
A key project for sovereignty and electrical sufficiency
From a technical perspective, the launch of El Sauz II responds to a specific capacity deficit in the region. The general director of the CFE, Emilia Esther Calleja Alor, provided a detailed analysis: the state of Querétaro registered a maximum demand of 1,535 MW in 2025, while its local installed capacity was just 723 MW. The new plant, together with sister projects in Guanajuato and San Luis Potosí, not only covers this gap, but also ensures a margin for the future economic growth of Bajío, one of the most dynamic industrial areas in the country.
The macroenergy context was outlined by the Secretary of Energy, Luz Elena González Escobar. The guiding objective is to guarantee a sufficient, affordable supply and with a greater participation of clean energies. To achieve this, the administration plans a massive expansion of the network: 29,000 MW of new capacity will be integrated into the SEN through a scheduled investment of 45,000 million dollars. This expansion plan is supported by the legal framework established by recent reforms, which reserve 54% of national electricity generation to the CFE, ensuring state control over a strategic asset.
Sheinbaum recalled that this model contrasts with previous administrations, where the privatization of the sector was attempted. The current policy, called the Fourth Transformation, prioritizes the recovery of the leadership of the State. A tangible benefit of this approach, as discussed, is the ability to respond to emergencies. During the intense rains of October, the CFE managed to restore service in five states in record time, an operational feat that, according to Governor Mauricio Kuri González, can take months in other nations in the face of similar natural disasters, evidencing the resilience of the system.
The growth projection continues with the CCC Salamanca II project, already planned, which will add an additional 483 MW. This sequential development demonstrates medium-term planning that seeks to anticipate the demand curve, encourage industrial investment and shield the national electrical infrastructure. The inauguration of El Sauz II is not an isolated event, but a critical node within a comprehensive strategy of modernization, sovereignty and social justice in the Mexican energy sector.
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