Salamanca — Mexico
Oil power plant in Guanajuato, Mexico. Approximate location 20.5694, -101.1712.
OilGuanajuatoMexicoCCGT · HRSGGE Power: 7FA.03CO₂ modelled
Salamanca is a 550 MW oil power station in Guanajuato, Mexico. It is operated by CFE. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 413k homes (estimated). It ranks #56 of 366 Mexico power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2017, it is around 9 years old — relatively modern. Its modelled annual emissions are 2,235,400 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 521k cars driven for a year. 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 MEX0001786.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 927 MW for CCC Salamanca power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000406267; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 550 MW, Salamanca is well above the median oil plant in Mexico (300 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG); GE Power: 7FA.03. 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.
~2,235,400 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.
Key facts
- Share of Mexico oil capacity
- 4.6% of 12,022 MW across 27 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 12 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 humid subtropical (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 20.6°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 87% 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: 18/100 — 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 mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), 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 #7 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
- Pemex-Refinación Ing. Antonio M. Amor · Gas · 142.8 MW · Guanajuato
- Energía de Celaya power station · Gas · 1,617 MW · Guanajuato
- Compañía Electrica Carolina · Hydro · 2.5 MW · Guanajuato
- Atlatec · Biomass · 1.1 MW · Queretaro
- Ecosys III · Biomass · 1.7 MW · Guanajuato
- Botello · Hydro · 18 MW · Michoacan
Location
Coordinates 20.5694, -101.1712 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Salamanca?
Salamanca is a 550 MW oil power plant in Guanajuato, Mexico, commissioned in 2017.
Who operates Salamanca?
Salamanca is operated by CFE.
How much CO₂ does Salamanca emit?
Salamanca has modelled emissions of about 2,235,400 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).