Cerro Prieto — Mexico
Geothermal power plant in Baja California, Mexico. Approximate location 32.3916, -115.2252.
GeothermalBaja CaliforniaMexico
Cerro Prieto is a 570 MW geothermal power station in Baja California, Mexico. It is operated by CFE. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.1 million homes (estimated). It ranks #54 of 366 Mexico power plants by installed capacity. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, the national grid averages 474 gCO₂/kWh (25.9% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id MEX0001868.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000807073; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 570 MW, Cerro Prieto is well above the median geothermal plant in Mexico (68.6 MW). Geothermal plants tap underground heat to raise steam for a turbine; they provide steady, low-carbon baseload but are limited to geologically active regions.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of Mexico geothermal capacity
- 63.1% of 904 MW across 5 plants in this dataset
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest geothermal 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 geothermal plant taps underground heat to raise steam that drives a turbine. It sits in a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 32.4°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 79% 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: 21/100 — this site sits in the bottom 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 #1 largest geothermal power plant of 5 in Mexico by capacity.
Mexico has 5 geothermal power plants in this dataset, together about 904 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Cerro Prieto I · Geothermal · 30 MW · Baja California
- Cerro Prieto · Solar · 1 MW · Baja California
- CCC Baja California IV power station · Gas · 588 MW · Baja California
- Mexicali Oriente power plant · Gas · 441.6 MW · Baja California
- CFENERGIA MEXICALI · Gas · 150 MW · Baja California
- CCC González Ortega power station · Gas · 768.8 MW · Baja California
Location
Coordinates 32.3916, -115.2252 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Cerro Prieto?
Cerro Prieto is a 570 MW geothermal power plant in Baja California, Mexico.
Who operates Cerro Prieto?
Cerro Prieto is operated by CFE.