PROJECT OVERVIEW
Imperial County, California is fast becoming the “Renewable Energy Capital of the World”. Currently, there is over 1,500 MW of renewable energy projects developed in Imperial County with thousands of MW’s of untapped geothermal, solar and wind resources.
The Cal-Mex transmission line would connect the large industrial loads in Baja Mexico to the generation resources of the Imperial County.
The Cal-Mex transmission line is an approximate two-mile (2) mile 161kV circuit, with an expected capacity of 300 MW. The circuit would connect the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) 92kV transmission system to the Mexicali Oriente 161kV substation located within Mexicali, Mexico.
The interface between Imperial County and Baja Mexico is through a 92/161kV transformer which will be located on the U.S. side of the connection. This two-mile electric “highway” connects a generation rich system to an energy deficient area that requires power to meet its tremendous industrial load growth.
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A feasibility analysis for the project is complete and we are now proceeding to a system impact study to be conducted as a joint study between IID and CENACE.
Why this project?
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Mexico recently transitioned its state-run energy sector into a market that is fully open to competition.
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Commercial energy customers in Mexico pay energy rates that affect the competitiveness of the country. In response, the government of Mexico created a competitive retail and wholesale market. The government ushered in ‘Reforma Energética’ or Energy Reform to fully open the energy sector to competition.
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