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CFE has operationalized Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) at the Rafael Galván Maldonado photovoltaic plant in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, marking a historic shift toward grid modernization. Currently providing 72MW of storage capacity through its first two active phases, the project will expand to 246MW of total storage alongside its 1,000MW total generation capacity upon completion, positioning it as the largest solar installation in the Americas.
CFE informed that battery energy storage systems (BESS) are now operational at the Central Fotovoltaica Rafael Galván Maldonado in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora.
Sections I and II of the plant currently contribute energy to the National Electric System through their BESS, adding 72MW of installed capacity that benefits more than 15,000 people. Sections III and IV, currently under construction, will incorporate an additional 174MW of storage, extending the benefits to nearly 56,000 additional people, bringing the project’s total storage capacity to 246MW once all four phases are complete.
As part of the federal government’s national strategy to strengthen the electricity sector, CFE is analyzing and incorporating energy storage projects that will allow more flexible and efficient grid operation, increasing the capacity to integrate new solar and wind plants while optimizing the use of existing infrastructure.
BESS systems function by storing electricity during periods of high energy availability to release it later when demand increases or when renewable source production decreases. In this way, they act as a strategic energy reserve that allows electricity supply and demand to be balanced in real time.
CFE lists the benefits it finds in the technology: greater reliability and operational stability of the National Electric System; more efficient integration of renewable energy; increased operational flexibility of the electrical grid; faster response to contingencies and demand variations; optimization of transmission line and substation use; strengthening of national energy security; and reduced operating costs associated with ancillary services.
CFE also notes that storage systems can play a strategic role in isolated zones or areas with infrastructure limitations. In these areas the technology improves electricity supply quality and allows more efficient use of available energy resources.
Puerto Peñasco’s Full Scale: The Largest Photovoltaic Plant in the Americas
Once its four construction phases are complete, the plant will reach a total generation capacity of 1,000MW, making it the largest photovoltaic plant in the Americas, alongside 246MW capacity in BESS. The first two phases are already in operation, contributing 400MW of generation and 72MW of storage to the national grid. Total investment in Puerto Peñasco stands at over US$1.4 billion. The plant also incorporates a synchronous condenser, equipment CFE has described as unique within this project, which contributes to stabilizing voltage and improving the power factor of the electrical system.
CFE Director General Emilia Calleja characterized the storage rollout as historically significant: “Very few countries in the world have projects of this type. All the photovoltaic plants will have battery storage, which means they will be able to store electricity for around two or three hours. This is truly a very, very important effort, and I congratulate SENER, Emilia, and the whole team, because this is something historic in Mexico with enormous benefits — of sovereignty, of environmental benefits that strengthen energy sovereignty and generate social justice.”
Oasis: Storage as the Critical Enabler for an Isolated Grid
The Proyecto Oasis in Mulegé, Baja California Sur, is the second emblematic project Calleja presented alongside Puerto Peñasco. The Oasis system combines a 72MW photovoltaic plant, a 20MW BESS with two to three hours of autonomy, and a green hydrogen production system that will store surplus solar energy for use at night or during periods of higher demand. The project will supply the equivalent of 40,000 households, produce 120 cubic meters of water for the local population, and avoid the emission of more than 94,000t of carbon dioxide annually.
What distinguishes Oasis is the absence of grid interconnection: the Mulegé electrical system is isolated from the National Interconnected System, meaning all electricity consumed locally must be generated locally. In that context, storage is not an optimization tool but an operational necessity. Without batteries and green hydrogen to bridge the gap between solar generation hours and 24-hour demand, the isolated grid would have no firm power source at all outside daylight hours.
Sheinbaum’s 32,000MW Renewable Target
President Sheinbaum used the announcement to reaffirm the broader generation target underlying both projects: by 2030, Mexico will incorporate 32,000MW of new capacity, of which 70%, approximately 22,000MW, will come from renewable sources. “This is historic, unique, an enormous effort for the benefit of the Mexican people, the country, the nation, and energy sovereignty,” she said, noting that this is the first time in the country’s history that a 32,000MW renewable buildout has been undertaken within a single administration’s timeframe.
CFE indicated that, as a result of this strategy, by 2030 the country is expected to avoid the emission of approximately 69Mt of carbon dioxide, contributing to Mexico’s international environmental commitments. The bulletin specified that 50 photovoltaic plants are contemplated nationally, with Chihuahua slated to receive a new solar plant in the state’s northwest zone as part of the same buildout.

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