El Carmen Nuevo Leon power station — Mexico

El Carmen Nuevo Leon power station is a 866 MW gas power station in Nuevo León, Mexico. It is operated by Iberdrola México SA de CV [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 975k homes (estimated). It ranks #29 of 366 Mexico power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2019, it is around 7 years old — recently built. In context, gas supplies about 61.6% 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 GOGPT_elcarmennuevoleon_mexico.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000406652; fuel: GEM GOGPT

In context: how this plant compares

At 866 MW, El Carmen Nuevo Leon power station is well above the median gas plant in Mexico (368 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). Gas plants burn natural gas either in open-cycle turbines for fast peaking, or in combined-cycle units that recover exhaust heat in an HRSG to reach roughly 55–62% efficiency — the cleanest-burning fossil option.

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

Key facts

Share of Mexico gas capacity

1.5% of 58,538 MW across 129 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

54 of 80 dated gas 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 gas plants in Mexico

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

Owner

Operated by Iberdrola México SA de CV [100%].

Local climate & thermal context

This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 25.9°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 91% 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: 17/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~5% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).

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 #17 largest gas power plant of 129 in Mexico by capacity.

Mexico has 129 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 58,538 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Noreste (Escobedo) power station · Gas · 1,680 MW · Nuevo Leon
• Bioenergía de Nuevo León · Biomass · 17 MW · Nuevo Leon
• Planta Norte (Gob. de Nuevo León) · Biomass · 1.6 MW · Nuevo Leon
• Ternium Monterrey power station · Gas · 50 MW · Nuevo Leon
• PEGI MONTERREY · Gas · 107.8 MW · Nuevo Leon
• GP Energía power station · Gas · 240 MW · Nuevo León

Location

Coordinates 25.869982, -100.358834 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions