Recently, I went to the Senate of the Republic to give a presentation at a forum titled, “Mexico and Its Energy Crossroads.”
During the conference, I had the opportunity to discuss the green hydrogen projects currently under development in Mexico. I also spoke about the PowerToX concept, which involves converting clean energy into other energy carriers, such as methanol or ammonia, as an alternative for Mexico’s energy development.
During the forum, I had the honor of sharing the microphone with leading figures in Mexico’s energy sector, such as Francisco Barnes (former rector of UNAM) and Rosanety Barrios (co-founder of the Voz Experta Association), who spoke about hydrocarbons and electricity, respectively.
The assessment was clear in that Mexico is indeed at a crossroads, and it is necessary to diversify the energy mix to effectively address the growth in energy demand and improve competitiveness under USMCA 2.0.
The issue is complicated in Mexico, as nearly 70% of the electricity generated comes from natural gas, most of which is imported primarily from the United States, leaving us vulnerable in terms of our energy security.
Similarly, we must develop strategies and actions for industrial decarbonization and reduce or mitigate the carbon footprint of private companies, PEMEX, and CFE.
I believe that one issue that needs to be brought into the public discourse is nuclear energy; to that end, I will cite the case of France.
In 1972, France generated electricity using both natural gas and nuclear energy, with both technologies accounting for roughly the same proportion of its energy mix.
In 1973, following the oil crisis, France implemented the Messmer Plan, spearheaded by President Pierre Messmer, which led to the construction of 50 nuclear reactors in just 15 years.
France currently has 57 operational reactors at 18 nuclear power plants, which account for nearly 70% of its electricity mix to meet the demand of a country with a population of 70 million.
The remaining 30% is generated using clean energy.
Mexico’s Position
Where does Mexico stand in terms of nuclear energy?
Mexico began commercial nuclear power generation in 1989 and currently has two reactors in operation, each with a generating capacity of 820MW. These reactors account for about 3% of the country’s total electricity generation.
Why has Mexico lagged behind other countries in nuclear power generation? This was likely due to high initial investment costs and political and environmental decisions. The signing of the Treaty of Tlatelolco in 1967, in which Mexico renounced the development of nuclear weapons, may also have played a role.
Another factor was the reliance on foreign technology for the development of the national nuclear industry.
These public policy decisions are not specific to any one administration; rather, they reflect a long-standing national policy of not further developing nuclear energy in Mexico.
Of course, the accidents at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the former USSR may also have played a role.
Objective Evaluation
However, I believe that, given the current circumstances, we should now evaluate the issue more objectively.
We should even consider the development of nuclear energy using small modular reactors (SMRs); in fact, in the United States, Elementl Power recently announced the construction of a 1.5GW nuclear power plant in Ohio that will include the installation of this type of modular reactor.
These reactors generate up to 300MW of electricity per unit and are a fraction of the size of a traditional nuclear power plant (one-third or less).
Because of their size, they can be installed in locations where large power plants are not feasible, such as remote areas or those not connected to the national power grid.
The initial investment is lower than that of a traditional plant, and they can be installed in modules, with additional modules added as demand increases.
Similarly, these modules operate by generating low-carbon energy, contributing to the energy transition.
Incidentally, clean hydrogen can also be produced using nuclear energy. This is known as “pink hydrogen.”
