Energy Central-News Article

In the midst of a context in which the opportunities that the Inter-Oceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec project has in terms of energy and nearshoring have been pointed out, federal authorities announced that within the 10 welfare poles that are contemplated, there are four with potential for wind and mixed use.

During Tuesday's morning conference, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador presented the project's progress, highlighting that this year they intend to attend to the energy part and thus detonate the industrial vocation.

In this regard, the general director of the Inter-Oceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Raymundo Morales Ángeles, explained that according to a study by the Federal Electricity Commission, it was identified that four development poles can be enabled for wind energy use.

For this reason, a call for bids will be opened, which will be launched in the second week of April in order to have the first decision in July 2023.

Meanwhile, for the lands that are not sold or cannot be tendered in that period, a second round of bidding will be held in August 2023 to have the next decision in November of the same year.

However, he added that due to indigenous consultations and agreements with the local populations of the southern states, these parks will be of mixed use, thus coexisting with the current wind farms and industrial parks.

"To make the investment more attractive we will establish an interoceanic fiber optic network with a tri-tube of 134 fiber optic strands, with which we will provide digital services to the development poles as well as to the communities and the railroad stations," added Raymundo Morales.

Regarding the progress of the Corridor, the general director explained that the rehabilitation of the tracks has an advance of 79.39% and that this rehabilitation will be completed in August 2023. Additionally, from 2020 to 2022 alone, more than 620 million pesos have been invested in works to benefit the communities.

It should be noted that the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec aims to serve as an integral logistics platform, which will be interconnected by more than 1,000 kilometers of railroads and includes the ports of Salina Cruz, Coatzacoalcos, Chiapas and Dos Bocas.

Sub-national opportunity

Regarding the opportunities represented by the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the intention to generate more wind energy, the head of the Ministry of the Environment of the government of Oaxaca, Karime Unda Harp, explained to El Economista that in addition to working with the federal authority to make the Corridor a reality, a development plan is being developed for the sub-national entity, where green energies are one of the main axes.

"Oaxaca is considered the leading generator of wind energy in the country. For our part we will continue with good communication and management with the federal government, we are already analyzing new proposals from foreign investors and we will continue to promote renewable energy projects, with the objective of benefiting the Oaxacan state," he said.

Meanwhile, the undersecretary of Industry, Investment Attraction, Foreign Trade and Strategic Projects of Veracruz, Joaquín Rafael Galindo, delved that they seek to guide the Corridor project to detonate the state's export vocation.

"We created a state area that is focused on the Isthmus project, where the state government also co-invests in the projects," he said in an interview with El Economista on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Bayer's Orizaba-PROQUINA factory.

The official revealed that they are also open to communicate with the Panama Canal, this since this country seeks to make an alliance with the Corridor.

"These are projects that can coexist and will make this part of the world more competitive," he added.