Alstom to build 25MW geothermal plant in Mexico

Alstom has been awarded a €30m contract to build a 25MW geothermal plant for the Mexican Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE).

The Los Humeros III-Phase A plant, which will be located in Chignautla municipality, state of Puebla, is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2016. It will produce over 200GWh of energy per year.

The scope of the contract includes engineering, power plant construction, set-up equipment, steam turbine, turbo generator, systems control and high voltage electric substation, plus related equipment.

The power plant will operate using heat obtained by drilling steam extraction wells of up to 3500m.

Alstom Mexican president Cintia Angulo said that over the last decade, the company has participated in numerous geothermal power projects in Mexico, that all combined add up to nearly 200MW of installed capacity.

"We are happy that Alstom’s technology will contribute to the diversification of non-fossil energy sources in the country, a goal that the current government has set to reach 35% by 2024." Angulo added.

The plant will operate in tandem with two other geothermal plants recently installed by Alstom in the same area, Los Humeros IIA, and Los Humeros IIB.

In total, Alstom has installed over 11GW of power generation equipment in Mexico.

Image: Los Humeros II geothermal power plant, Mexico: Courtesy of Alstom