ENERGY AND ENERGY SUPPLY IN MEXICO - PRESENT AND FUTURE SITUATION

As a consequence of present and future consumption of energy in Mexico in a short time, it is very important to develop alternative energy supply sources and increasing their use, as it has been done in several countries by imposing strong government programs. Nowadays, we are confident about having enough energy supply to fulfill our future necessities up to 50 year on coming, because we have enough oil reserves to attend future mexican demand and for selling reasonable quantities to our neighborhood. At present time, oil prices are increasing little by little due to politic and economic behavior and it is more necessary to develop new energy alternatives and to improve solar and wind generation capacity. Fortunately we have good options about them. Now, it is common to find solar or wind energy supply in remote country regions in Africa, Asia and Latin America because country people, living there, get their electricity and energy to pump water from deep wells in such way. Very special geological and geotechnical studies are required for traditional energy supply by using river water, coal, geothermic and nuclear facilities, in such a way that modern time requires it.In Mexico we have some modern hydroelectric power plants, such as: Aguamilpa, Nayarit (600 MW) and Zimapan, Hidalgo (320 MW) built in 1990s, for which it was necessary very special engineering works and several years for their studies and development. Unfortunately, it is not possible to fulfill (100%) Mexico energy demand by using only hydroelectric supply and we can't reduce our oil dependency because we have to go on burning oil and gas for electricity generation. Nevertheless Mexico has several options, in which solar energy seams to be very attractive due to solar radiation along the country, however our country plays not an important role about nuclear energy because of the lack of development about it due to social rejection, and it still has a strong oil consumption in their thermoelectric power plants, mainly during dry seasons, when there is not enough water running the rivers for hydroelectric generation. Fortunately, we have on coming government program to increase hydroelectric facilities, including development of repumping hydroelectric power plants.