Electricity in the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec

The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) is participating in the development of Mexico‘s Isthmus of Tehuantepec Interoceanic Corridor through the following three activities.

First and foremost, the transisthmian project would create a modernized and upgraded interoceanic multimodal corridor that would provide an alternative to the Panama Canal for northbound and Post-Panamax shipping.

As part of this project, the Mexican government intends to modernize the Isthmus of Tehuantepec railroad; expand cargo handling and storage capacity at the ports of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, and Salina Cruz, Oaxaca; widen the transisthmian highway from two to four lanes; upgrade the Minatitlán and Ixtepec airports; establish a fiber optic telecommunications connection and cellular/data connectivity; and build a gas pipeline for commercial and private use.

First, the CFE participated in the processes of consultation and free, prior and informed consent to indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples and communities, carried out between 2019 and 2020, in which the consulted communities requested, among others, the attention, by the CFE, of 211 petitions, to execute works and works of improvement of the distribution network.

According to the CFE, these requests are attended by various areas of the company itself, representing an estimated investment to date of 1,125 million pesos.

Electricity

On the other hand, the CFE is preparing executive projects and contract models for the development of the necessary electrical infrastructure works for the supply of energy to the first four of a total of 10 Development Poles for Wellbeing (Podebis) that the federal government plans to develop in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region (Veracruz and Oaxaca).

To date, the CFE has estimated a budget of 1,063 million pesos for the execution of these four initial work packages.

The CFE is awaiting the contracting of its services for the execution of these projects.

Finally, in October 2022 the CFE formalized an agreement with the Administration of the National Port System to carry out engineering, contracting of works and supervision of two works for the crossing of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Railroad tracks with high voltage transmission lines, located inside the Port of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, in order to maintain the safety distances between both infrastructures.

The CFE is developing the necessary engineering, estimating to start work in May 2023, with an investment of 20.13 million pesos.