Benito Juárez (Samalayuca) — Mexico

Benito Juárez (Samalayuca) is a 316 MW oil power station in Texas, Mexico. It is operated by CFE. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 237k homes (estimated). It ranks #107 of 366 Mexico power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2003, it is around 23 years old — relatively modern. In context, oil supplies about 9.4% of Mexico's electricity; the national grid averages 474 gCO₂/kWh (25.9% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id MEX0001818.

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 316 MW, Benito Juárez (Samalayuca) is around the median oil plant in Mexico (300 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Share of Mexico oil capacity

2.6% of 12,022 MW across 27 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

9 of 18 dated oil plants in Mexico are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest oil plants in Mexico

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by CFE. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 31.3°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 38% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 34/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #13 largest oil power plant of 27 in Mexico by capacity.

Mexico has 27 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 12,022 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Transalta Chihuahua III · Gas · 259 MW · Texas
• Samalayuca II · Gas · 521.8 MW · Texas
• CCC Norte-III power station · Gas · 906 MW · Texas
• Energía Eléctrica de Juárez · Biomass · 6.4 MW · Chihuahua
• Copper · Gas · 86.9 MW · Texas
• Tenet Hospital · Oil · 4.2 MW · Texas

Location

Coordinates 31.3314, -106.486 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions