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Central termoeléctrica Mérida II168 MW Oil

Oil

The Central termoelectrica Merida II is a key infrastructure asset in Mexico's power generation grid, located on the continent of North America. Designated as a fossil fuel electricity generation station, the facility features an installed capacity of 168 MW. Its primary operation relies on harnessing oil energy resources to generate bulk electricity. Operational management and ownership of the facility are handled by the Comisión Federal de Electricidad, which oversees daily maintenance and grid dispatch integration. The facility was officially connected to the commercial grid in 2015, since which it has maintained regular output, playing a structured role in domestic power supply security. In terms of domestic production capacity within Mexico, Central termoelectrica Merida II occupies the #26 position among all operational oil power plants. Its 168 MW capacity represents a 0.87% share of Mexico's total installed oil generating capacity, which currently stands at 19,205 MW. The largest operational oil installation in Mexico is the Central Termoelectrica Francisco Perez Rios with an output of 2,200 MW, making the Central termoelectrica Merida II approximately 13.1 times smaller by comparison. Across all fuel types and electricity generation technologies country-wide, this facility accounts for 0.1187% of Mexico's aggregate generation capacity of 141,584 MW. Based on historical capacity factors characteristic of oil power plants (modeled at 15% for analysis), the facility's expected annual electricity generation is calculated at approximately 220,752 MWh. Applying domestic consumption statistics where an average household in Mexico consumes 3 MWh of electricity annually, this level of production is sufficient to meet the energy demands of roughly 73,584 homes. By utilizing traditional thermal power processes, the station delivers reliable dispatchable energy to the grid, supporting grid resilience during periods of low renewable resource availability and satisfying industrial base-load demands. The physical site of the station is located at geographic coordinates 20.9281° latitude and -89.6876° longitude. Analysis of local grid infrastructure shows a density of other assets within a 50-kilometer radius. These nearby facilities include Mérida III combined cycle power station (oil, 484 MW), Mérida III (gas, 484 MW), Mérida III combined cycle power station (gas, 484 MW), representing a cluster of localized power assets. This geographic placement is vital for reinforcing regional distribution infrastructure and minimizing transmission line losses across this sector of Mexico.

Capacity
168 MW
Commissioning Year
2015

11 years old

Owner
Comisión Federal de Electricidad
Location
20.9281°, -89.6876°

Mexico, North America

Location

Coordinates:: 20.928065, -89.687630
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Carbon Footprint650 g CO₂/kWh
Annual CO₂
334.8 Kt
515 GWh/year × 650 g/kWh
Cumulative CO₂
3.68 Mt
Over 11 years of operation
Est. Retirement
2045
19 years remaining
Annual emissions equivalent to
72.8K
cars per year
44.6K
homes per year
15.2M
trees to offset

Estimates based on Oil emission factor (650 g CO₂/kWh) and capacity factor (35%). Actual emissions may vary based on operating conditions, efficiency, and fuel quality.

Technical Details

Primary Fuel Type
Oil
Energy Source
Non-Renewable
Country
Mexico
Continent
North America
Data Source
Global Power Station Database

MexicoEnergy Profile

419
Total Stations
141.6 GW
Total Capacity
GasHydroOilCoal
Top Fuels

An Overview of Oil as a Power Generation Energy Source

Oil has been a significant source of energy for power generation worldwide, with 2,416 oil power plants distributed across 108 countries, contributing a total installed capacity of approximately 286.9 gigawatts (GW). The reliance on oil for electricity generation has its roots in the ease of extraction, transportation, and the energy density of crude oil, making it a practical choice for many nations. Notable countries that utilise oil in power generation include Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Iran, and Mexico, with Japan hosting 29 plants and leading in capacity at 49.9 GW, closely followed by Saudi Arabia with 53 plants at 49.7 GW. The United States has 883 oil power plants with a combined capacity of 39.4 GW, while Iran and Mexico have 22 and 23 plants, respectively, with capacities of 13.5 GW and 12.2 GW.

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