Staff from the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) reported that it is not the responsibility of this state-owned company to support the development of energy with solar panels that the Autonomous University of Chihuahua (UACH) intends to carry out, since the process must be carried out before the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE).
Recently, the rector of the UACH, Luis Rivera Campos, said that they are looking to develop a project to use energy with solar panels and produce 5 megawatts (MW) to make it profitable; however, the CFE only authorizes the generation of 0.5 megawatts (MW). “We have not been able to move forward because they authorize us very little,” said Rivera, who last week went as a representative of the Universities of the Northwest Region of Mexico to Mario Delgado, the next head of the Ministry of Public Education (SEP), to explain this situation. The virtual head of the SEP listened to the concern that the UACH has about the CFE’s refusal and assured that he will review the issue. The rector commented that the universities of the northwest area of the country, such as Sonora and Baja California, can take advantage of the conditions of solar radiation to generate electric energy. He even stressed that, in the case of Chihuahua, they had already had approaches with a company that would install the solar panels free of charge and the payments would be with the savings they would generate. “It is a project that was not going to cost us anything up front and that would allow us to make significant savings,” he said.
‘The rector is misinformed’
Staff from the state-owned company consulted by El Diario yesterday explained that it is clear that the rector is poorly informed and poorly advised, since applications for the generation of up to 0.5 MW are processed before the CFE.
“And the largest ones, like he wants, of 5 MW, must be carried out directly with the Energy Regulatory Commission; however, we will investigate,” responded CFE personnel. The rector previously said that the CFE will not authorize a larger generation despite the fact that the intention to place the solar panels was expressed. The rector explained that they had considered placing them on Campus II land, but also on the university’s rural properties. “We were not going to have problems with space, because the states of the northwest have ideal conditions for energy generation, but Chihuahua in particular has a very important potential,” he added. So far, the UACH has not reported having made the corresponding request to the CRE. This commission has the authority to issue its acts and resolutions with technical, operational and management autonomy, as well as to regulate and promote, among others, the efficient development of electricity generation, Public Services for Transmission and Distribution of Electric Energy, the transmission and distribution of electricity that is not part of the public service and the commercialization of electricity.
#CFE #UACH #agree