CFE announces exploration plans for geothermal site in Chignahuapan
Acoculco geothermal project site (source: CFE)
Alexander Richter
23 May 2022
Mexican news outlets announce plans by CFE to start exploration on a new geothermal project in Chignahuapan in the state of Puebla.
As reported locally from Mexico, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) plans to carry out explorations in the municipality of Chignahuapan to take advantage of geothermal energy and produce electricity. It plans to initiate an exploration program targeted for 3 years.
In the Ecological Gazette the project “Drilling of the EAC-3 exploratory well in the Acoculco Geothermal Area”in the state of Puebla was announced, which would have an investment of 70 million pesos (about USD 3.3 million).
CFE completed the environmental impact analysis.
In October 2015, the Secretary of Energy (SENER) granted the CFE permission to carry out geothermal resource exploration activities in the Acoculco Geothermal Area, valid for three years, according to the gazette in charge of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).
The Acoculco Geothermal Area is located in Chignahuapan, 15 kilometers northwest of the municipal seat. Although the start of the project was postponed, the CFE obtained an extension to be able to develop the project.
The area where the associated works and the drilling of the well will be carried out is approximately 5,879.37 square meters, considering the access to the EAC-3 platform.
The works associated with drilling include the construction of a platform of 5 thousand square meters; a mud dam of 600 square meters, as well as a road with a crown width of 6 meters and a length of 46.56 meters.
A section of the access road would also be conditioned to a platform that will require the felling of trees.
The project will generate approximately 40 direct and indirect jobs and will last three years, although the works and activities of drilling the well will be carried out in one year.
Source: E-Consulta
