Infiernillo — Mexico
Hydro power plant in Michoacan, Mexico. Approximate location 18.2711, -101.8939.
HydroMichoacanMexicoconventional storage
Infiernillo is a 1,200 MW hydro power station in Michoacan, Mexico. It is operated by CFE. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.2 million homes (estimated). It ranks #12 of 366 Mexico power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1965, it is around 61 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 8.1% 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 MEX0001854.
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 · L100000602473; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 1,200 MW, Infiernillo is well above the median hydro plant in Mexico (19.2 MW). Technically it is described as conventional storage. Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of Mexico hydro capacity
- 9.6% of 12,457 MW across 73 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 13 of 32 dated hydro 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 hydro 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 hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 18.3°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness 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 #2 largest hydro power plant of 73 in Mexico by capacity.
Mexico has 73 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 12,457 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- La Villita · Hydro · 320 MW · Michoacan
- Plutarco Elías Calles (Petacalco) · Coal · 2,778.4 MW · Michoacan
- Gobierno del Estado · Hydro · 4.1 MW · Michoacan
- Cóbano · Hydro · 60 MW · Michoacan
- Cupatitzio · Hydro · 80 MW · Michoacan
- Ingenio Lázaro Cárdenas · Biomass · 5.5 MW · Michoacan
Location
Coordinates 18.2711, -101.8939 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Infiernillo?
Infiernillo is a 1,200 MW hydro power plant in Michoacan, Mexico, commissioned in 1965.
Who operates Infiernillo?
Infiernillo is operated by CFE.