Tecnología y ciencias del agua (Nov 2012)
Generation of electric energy in Mexico
Abstract
Since 1960, the Federal Electric Commission (FEC) has been Mexico's company responsible for generating, transmitting, distributing and selling electric energy in the country, through which the federal government manages the electric network in Mexico. The objective of this work is to identify and analyze both the generation and consumption of energy in the country in order to propose a growth plan that addresses future energy demand in a sustainable environment. By December 2011, the installed capacity to generate electric energy in the country was 52.5 GW, which generated 254.7 TWh annually in the central region of the country (Mexico City Federal District, Puebla, State of Mexico, Hidalgo and Morelos). This region has been part of the FEC since October 2009, and previously belonging to the parastatal company Luz y Fuerza del Centro which used to be responsible for the management and supply of electric energy in this region. The installed capacity for this year was made up of a diversification of generation sources, the thermoelectric centers being those with the greatest contribution to the total power of the country (45.1%), followed by hydro-electric (21.9%), carboelectric (5.1%), one nuclear electric center (2.7%) and two renewable energy sources (geothermal electric (1.7%) and eoloelectric (.20%). The remaining percentage (23.3%) constitutes a special case known as independent producers. The generation in the year mentioned consisted of thermal electric centers with the greatest contribution (43.77%) through the use of hydrocarbons (diesel, fuel oil, etc.); hydroelectric (12.84%) through the use of carbon (6.23%) and nuclear electric power (3.58%); geothermal electric (2.30%) and eoloelectric with only 0.04% of the national generation of electricity. The remaining percentage of generation is provided by independent producers--primarily thermal electric centers (conventional combined cycle)--who make better use of their respective sources and represent 31.24% of production. The clients to which the FEC supplies electric energy are divided into the following sectors: industry (52.81%), residential (20.35%), business and public services (9.09%), FEC use (6.49%), agriculture (3.46%), transportation (0.44%) and losses of 7.36%.
